Title: The Art of Fencing - The Use of the Small Sword
Author: L'Abbat, Monsieur
Language: English
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The ART of

FENCING,

or, the USE of the

_Small SWORD_.


Translated from the FRENCH of the late celebrated

Monsieur L'ABBAT;

Master of that ART at the Academy of TOULOUSE.

       *       *       *       *       *

By ANDREW MAHON, Professor of the SMALL SWORD in DUBLIN.


_DUBLIN_:

Printed by JAMES HORT, at the Sign of _Mercury_ in _Skinner-Row_, 1734.



DEDICATION.

[Transcribers note: First page of dedication missing.]

sue for. I shall omit saying any Thing, My Lord, of the shining
Qualities, which seem Hereditary in Your Lordship's Family, as well as
of the Dignity and Importance of the Charge with which His Majesty has
been pleased to entrust Your Lordship's Most Noble Father. Neither will
I presume to trouble Your Lordship with those Encomiums, which are most
deservedly due to the Vertues, whereby Your Lordship has gained the
Admiration and Esteem of the Polite and Ingenious Persons of this
Nation. Be pleased then, My Lord, to permit me to have the Honour of
subscribing myself,

My Lord,

Your Lordship's

Most devoted, and

Most humble

Servant,

_Andrew Mahon_.



PREFACE.


I thought it very suitable to my Business, when I met with so good an
Author as Monsieur _L'Abbat_, on the Art of Fencing, to publish his
Rules, which in general, will I believe be very useful, not only as they
may contribute to the Satisfaction of such Gentlemen as are already
Proficients in the Art, and to the better Discipline of those who intend
to become so, but also in regard that the Nicety and Exactness of his
Rules, for the most Part, and their great Consistency with Reason, may,
and will in all Probability, lay a regular and good Foundation for
future Masters, who tho' accustom'd to any particular Method formerly
practised, may rather chuse to proceed upon the Authority of an
excellent Master, than upon a vain and mistaken Confidence of their own
Perfection, or upon an obstinate Refusal to submit to Rules founded on,
and demonstrated by Reason.

For my Part, though I had my Instructions from the late Mr. _Hillary
Tully_ of _London_, who was (and I think with great Reason) esteemed a
most eminent Master in his Time, I thought I could not make too nice a
Scrutiny into my Profession, by comparing Notes with Monsieur _L'Abbat_,
which improved me in some Points, and confirmed me and others, to my no
small Satisfaction, being well persuaded, that, as a Professor of this
Science, it would have been an unpardonable Fault in me to deprive our
Nations of such an Improvement, either through Prejudice to his, or
Partiality to my own Opinion.

Though I have already said that Mr. _L'Abbat's_ Rules are nice,
reasonable, and demonstrative, yet I would not have it inferred from
thence, that he approves of them all, as really essential to the Art of
Fencing; there being some which he does not approve of, and which he
would not have mentioned, had they not interfered with his profession,
by the Practice and Recommendation of some Masters, who being more
capricious than knowing, were fonder of the shewy or superficial, than
of the solid Part of the Science.

Volting, Passing, and Lowering the Body, are three things which Mr.
_L'Abbat_ disapproves of, in which Opinion I join; because the Sword
being the Instrument of Defence, there can be no Safety when the proper
Opposition of the Blade is wanting, as it is in volting and lowering the
Body, and in passing, by reason of the Weakness of the Situation, which
cannot produce a vigorous Action.

Notwithstanding which, there is a modern Master, who as soon as he had
seen this Book, and the Attitudes representing volting, passing and
lowering the Body, began and still continues teaching them to his
Scholars, without considering how unsafe and dangerous they are, for
want of the proper Opposition of the Sword when within Measure.

Of all Professions, that of Arms has in all Ages, since their Invention,
been esteemed the noblest and most necessary; it being by them that the
Laws preserve their Force, that our Dominions are defended from the
Encroachments of our Enemies, and ill designing People kept in the
Subjection due to their Sovereigns; and of all Arms, the Sword is
probably the most ancient: It is honourable and useful, and upon
Occasion, causes a greater Acquisition of Glory than any other: It is
likewise worn by Kings and Princes, as an Ornament to Majesty and
Grandeur, and a Mark of their Courage, and distinguishes the Nobility
from the lower Rank of Men.

It is the most useful, having the Advantage of Fire Arms, in that it is
as well defensive as offensive, whereas they carry no Defence with them;
and it is far preferable to Pikes and other long Weapons, not only
because it is more weildy and easy of Carriage, but also by reason of
the Perfection to which Art has brought the Use of the Small Sword;
there being no Exercise that conduces so much as Fencing, to strengthen
and supple the Parts, and to give the Body an easy and graceful
Appearance.

The Sword, since it's first Invention, has been used in different
Manners: First, with a Shield or Buckler; Secondly, with a Helmet, and
Thirdly, with a Dagger, which is still used in _Spain_ and _Italy_. Mr.
_Patinotris_, who taught at _Rome_, introduced, and laid down Rules for
the Use of the Small Sword alone, which has since been much improved by
the _French_ and our Nations.

As the Art of Fencing consists in attacking and defending with the
Sword, it is necessary that every Motion and Situation tend to these two
principal Points, _viz._ In offending to be defended, and in defending
to be in an immediate Condition to offend.

There is no Guard but has it's Thrust, and no Thrust without it's
Parade, no Parade without it's Feint, no Feint without it's opposite
Time or Motion, no opposite Time or Motion but has it's Counter, and
there is even a Counter to that Counter.

Some injudicious Persons have objected to Mr. _L'abbat's_ Manner of
Fencing, that it is too beautiful and nice, without observing that if it
be beautiful, it cannot be dangerous, Beauty consisting in Rule, and
Rule in the Safety of attacking and defending.

In Fencing, there are five Figures of the Wrist, _viz._ _Prime_,
_Seconde_, _Tierce_, _Quart_, and _Quinte_. The first is of very little
Use, and the last of none at all.

Prime is the Figure that the Wrist is in, in drawing the Sword.
_Seconde_ and _Tierce_ require one and the same Figure of the Wrist,
with this Difference only, that in _Seconde_, the Wrist must be raised
higher, in order to oppose the Adversary's Sword; but in both these
Thrusts the Thumb Nail must be turned directly down, and the Edges of
the Blade of the Foil of an equal Height.

Quart is the handsomest Figure in Fencing, the Thumb Nail and the Flat
of the Foil being directly up, and the Wrist supported so as to cover
the Body below as well as above. In _Quinte_, the Wrist is more turned
and raised that in _Quart_, which uncovers the Body, and weakens the
Point, and therefore is not used by the skilful.

Some Masters divide the Blade into three Parts, _viz._ the Fort, the
Feeble, and the Middle. Others divide it into Four, _viz._ the Fort, the
Half Fort, the Feeble, and the Half Feeble; but to avoid Perplexity, I
divide it only into Fort and Feeble; tho' it may be divided into as many
Parts as there are Degrees of Fort and Feeble to be found on the Blade.

The Attitudes which are in the Book, are copied exactly from the
Originals; tho' I might perhaps have made some Alterations, in my
Opinion, for the better, yet I chose rather to leave them as they are,
than to run the Hazard of spoiling any of them: I have therefore left
the same Bend in the Foils as Mr. _L'Abbat_ recommends, _and for which
he makes an Apology in his Preface_.

Nor have I, in any of the Attitudes, represented a Left-handed Figure,
because by looking thro' the Paper on the blank Side, they will appear
reversed, and consequently Left-handed.

Monsieur _L'Abbat_ recommends the turning on the Edge of the Left-foot
in a Lunge, as may be seen by the Attitudes. This Method indeed was
formerly practised by all Masters, and would be very good, if their
Scholars had not naturally run into an Error, by turning the Foot so
much as to bring the Ancle to the Ground, whereby the Foot became so
weak as to make the Recovery difficult, for want of a sufficient Support
from the Left-foot, which, in recovering, bears the whole Weight of the
Body: Therefore I would not advise the turning on the Edge of the Foot
to any but such as, by long Practice on the Flat, are able to judge of
the Strength of their Situation, and consequently, will not turn the
Foot more than is consistent therewith.

It may sometimes be necessary to turn on the Edge, on such Ground
whereon the Flat would slip, and the Edge would not, if it were properly
turned; but even in this Case, by turning it too much it would have no
Hold of the Terrace, and therefore would be as dangerous as keeping it
on the Flat.

The chief Reason for turning on the Edge, is that the Length of the
Lunge is greater by about three Inches, which a Man who is a Judge of
Measure need never have recourse to, because he will not push but when
he knows he is within Reach.

Some of the Subscribing Gentlemen will, perhaps, be surprized, when they
find this Book published in my Name, after having taken Receipts, for
the first Moiety of their Subscription Money, in the Name of Mr.
_Campbell_, to whom I am obliged for his Assistance in the Translation,
he being a better Master of the _French_ Tongue than I am. Indeed to the
chief Reasons why they were not signed in my Name, are, First, because I
was, at the Time of their being signed, a Stranger in this city, being
then lately come from _England_. And secondly, lest I should meet with
such Opposition as might perhaps have frustrated my Design of publishing
this book, I thought proper to conceal my being concerned in it, 'till
Mr. _Campbell_ had shown the Translation to all the principal Masters in
Town, and gained their Approbation much in Favour of it.



THE

ART of FENCING;

OR THE

USE of the SMALL-SWORD.



CHAP. I.

_Of chusing and mounting a_ Blade.


Courage and Skill being often of little Use without a good Weapon, I
think it necessary, before I lay down Rules for using it, to shew how to
chuse a good Blade, and how it ought to be mounted.

The Length of the Blade ought to be proportionable to the Stature of the
Person who is to use it: The longest Sword, from Point to Pommel,
should reach perpendicularly from the Ground to the Navel, and the
shortest, to the Waste; being large in Proportion to its Length, and not
extremely large, nor very small, as some People wear them; the over
large Blades being unweildy, unless very hollow, which makes them weak,
and the narrow ones being not sufficient to cover the Body enough.

In Order to chuse a good Blade, three Things are to be observed: First,
that the Blade have no Flaw in it, especially across, it being more
dangerous so than Length-way. Secondly, That it be well tempered, which
you'll know by bending it against a Wall or other Place; if it bend only
towards the Point, 'tis faulty, but if it bend in a semicircular Manner,
and the Blade spring back to its Straitness, 'tis a good Sign; If it
remains bent it is a Fault, tho' not so great as if it did not bend at
all; for a Blade that bends being of a soft Temper, seldom breaks; but a
stiff One being hard tempered is easily broke. The third Observation is
to be made by breaking the Point, and if the Part broken be of a grey
Colour, the Steel is good; if it be white 'tis not: Or you may strike
the Blade with a Key or other Piece of Iron, and if he gives a clear
Sound, there is no hidden Fault in it. In bending a Blade you must not
force it, what I have said being sufficient to know it by, and besides
by forcing it, it may be so weakened in some Part as to break when it
comes to be used.

It would not be amiss for a Man to see his Sword mounted, because the
Cutlers, to save themselves the Trouble of filing the inside of the
hilts and pommel, to make the Holes wider, often file the Tongue[1] of
the Blade too much, and fill up the Vacancies with Bits of Wood, by
which Means the Sword is not firm in the Hand, and the tongue being thin
and weak, is apt to break in Parrying or on a dry Beat, as has been
unhappily experienced. Care should also be taken that the End of the
Tongue be well riveted to the Extremity of the Pommel, lest the Grip
should fly off, which would be of very dangerous Consequence.

Some Men chuse strait Blades, others will have them bending a little
upwards or downwards; some like them to bend a little in the Fort, and
others in the Feeble, which is commonly called _le Tour de Breteur_, or
the Bullie's Blade. The Shell should be proportionable in Bigness to the
Blade, and of a Metal that will resist a Point, and the Handle fitted to
the Hand.

Some like square Handles, and others chuse round Ones; the square are
better and firmer in the Hand, but as this Difference depends on Fancy,
as does also the Bow, which in some Cases may preserve the Hand, but may
be a Hindrance in inclosing, I shall leave it to the Decision of the
Fashions.



CHAP. II.

_Of Guard._


By Guard, is meant such a Situation of all the Parts of the Body as
enables them to give their mutual Assistance to defend or attack. A
Guard cannot be perfect without a good and graceful Disposition,
proceeding from a natural Proportion of the Parts of the Body, and an
easy and vigorous Motion, which is to be acquired by Practice, and the
Instruction of a good Master.

[Illustration: Plate 1. The middling Guard.]

[Illustration: The straight Guard or flat Sword.]

As In all bodily Excercises, a good Air, Freedom, Vigour, and a just
Disposition of the Body and Limbs are necessary, so are they more
especially in Fencing, the least Disorder in this Case being of the
worst Consequence; and the Guard being the Center whence all the Vigour
should proceed, and which should communicate Strength and Agility to
every Part of the Body, if there be the least Irregularity in any one
Part, there cannot be that Agreeableness, Power of Defence, Justness, or
Swiftness that is requisite.

In order to be well in Guard, it is absolutely necessary that the Feet,
as the Foundation that conduces chiefly to communicate Freedom and
Strength to the other Parts, be placed at such a Distance from each
other, and in such a lineal Manner as may be advantageous: The Distance
must be about two Foot from one Heel to the other; for if it were
greater, the Adversary, tho' of the same Stature, and with a Sword of
equal Length, would be within Measure when you would not, which would be
a very considerable Fault, Measure being one of the principal Parts of
Fencing, and if the Feet were nearer together, you would want Strength,
which is also a great Fault, because a feeble Situation cannot produce
a vigorous Action.

The Line must be taken from the hindmost Part of the Right Heel to the
Left Heel near the Ancle. The Point of the Right Foot must be opposite
to the Adversary's, turning out the Point of the Left Foot, and bending
the Left Knee over the Point of the same Foot, keeping the Right Knee a
little bent, that it may have a Freedom of Motion.

The Body must be upright, which gives it a better Air, greater Strength,
and more Liberty to advance and retire, being supported almost equally
by the two Feet. Some Masters teach to keep the Body back in Favour of
Measure, which cannot be broke by the Body when 'tis already drawn back,
tho' it is often necessary, not only to avoid a Surprize, but also to
deceive a Man of superior Swiftness who pushes a just Length: Therefore
'tis much better to have the Liberty of retiring to avoid the Thrusts of
the Adversary, or of extricating yourself by advancing towards him and
pushing (as I shall observe in its proper Place) than to keep the Body
in one Situation at a Distance, which being fixed, cannot deceive a
Person who knows any thing of Measure; moreover, such a Retention of
the Body does not only hinder the breaking Measure with the Body, but
also the Left Leg is so oppressed with its whole Weight, that it would
find it difficult to retire upon Occasion.

The Elbows must be almost on a Line, and of an equal Height, that one
Shoulder may not be higher than the other, and that they may be both
turn'd alike; the Left Hand must be over against the Top of the Ear, the
Hilt of the Sword a little above the Hip, turning towards Half _Quart_,
the Thumb extended, pressing the Middle of the Eye of the Hilt, keeping
the Fingers pretty close to the Handle, especially the little one, in
order to feel the Sword firmer and freer in the Hand.

By feeling the Sword, is meant commanding the Fort and Feeble equally
with the Hand, in order to communicate to the more distant Part of the
Blade, as well as to that which is nearer, the Motion and Action that is
requisite.

The Hilt should be situated in the Center, that is to say, between the
upper and lower Parts, and the Inside and Outside of the Body, in order
to be in a better Condition to defend whatever Part may be attacked.
The Arm must not be strait nor too much bent, to preserve its Liberty
and be cover'd. The Parts being thus placed, the Wrist and the Point of
the Right Foot will be on a perpendicular Line.

The Point of the Sword ought to be about the Height of, and on a Line
with the Adversary's Shoulder, that is, it must be more or less raised,
according as he is taller or shorter: Some Masters raise it to one fixed
Height, which would be very well if all Men were of the same Stature;
but if we consider the difference in Height of Persons, we shall find it
evidently bad. 'Tis to be observed, that according to the Length or
Shortness of the Blade, the Line from the Shell to the Point is higher
or lower, when the Height of the Point is fix'd.

The Shoulder, the Bend of the Arm, the Hilt, the Point of the Sword, the
Hip, the Right Knee and the Point of the Right Foot must be on a Line.

The Head should be upright and free without Stiffness or Affectation,
the Face turned between full and profile, and not altogether full, as
many Masters will have it, that being a constrained and disagreeable
Figure.

[Illustration: 2d Plate. A Lunge in Quart.]

[Illustration: A Thrust in Quart.]

The Sight should be fixed on the Adversary's, not only to observe his
Motions, but also to discover his Design, it being possible to guess at
the interior Design, by the exterior Action.

It is necessary to appear animated with a brave Boldness, for nothing
requires a Man to exert himself more than Sword in Hand; and it is as
difficult to attain such an Air of Intrepidity without much Excercise,
as it is to become perfectly expert.



CHAP. III.

_Of Pushing Quart._


To push _Quart_ within, besides the Precautions of placing yourself to
Advantage, and of pushing properly and swiftly, which is to be acquired
by Practice and nice Speculation, It is necessary that the Parts, in
order to assist each other in making the Thrust, should be so disposed
and situated, as that the Wrist should draw with it the Bend of the Arm,
the Shoulder, and the upper Part of the Fore-Part of the Body, at the
same time that the Left Hand and Arm should display or stretch
themselves out smartly, bending one of the Knees and extending the
other, which gives more Vigour and Swiftness to the Thrust; and the Body
finding itself drawn forward by the swift Motion of the Wrist and other
Parts, obliges the Right Foot to go forward in order to support it, and
to give the Thrust a greater Length; the Left Foot should, at the same
Instant, turn on the Edge, without stirring from its Place; whilst the
Right Foot coming smartly to the Ground, finishes the Figure, Extension
and Action of the Lunge. This is the Order and Disposition of the Parts
in making the Thrust, which see in the second Plate. At the Instant when
the Wrist moves forward, it must do three things, turn, support and
oppose.

To turn the Wrist in _Quart_, the Thumb Nail must be up, and the inside
Edge equal in Height with the other, for if it were not so high, the
Thrust would not be so swift, for want of Motion enough, neither would
the Body be so well covered, because the Edge, instead of being directly
opposite to the Adversary's Sword, would fall off with a Slant; and if
it were higher, it would make a Quint Figure, which, by the excessive
Turn of the Wrist, would weaken the Thrust, and by the unequal Turn of
the Edges would uncover the Body.

The Wrist ought to be of a Height sufficient to cover the Body without
contracting the Arm, which cannot be fixed to a particular Height; for a
short Man against a tall one, should raise it as high as the Head, which
People of equal; Stature, or a tall Man against a short one, ought not
to do.

When the Opposition is accompanied with such a Turn and Support of the
Wrist as will cover the Body, it is good, but if the Wrist be carried
too far in, you not only lose Part of the Length of the Thrust, but also
uncover the Outside of the Body, which are two very great Faults.

The Thrust must be made on the Inside of the Right Shoulder, in order to
take the Feeble with your Fort, and that you may be covered, bearing on
the Adversary's Sword, by which Means, the Thrust will be well planted,
and you less liable to receive one, which Advantages you lose by pushing
otherwise.

In order to make the Thrust perfect, it must have its proper Strength
and Support when planted: The Strength, is the Vigour with which the
Thrust is made, and the Support is the Consequence of the Motion of the
Wrist, turning and bearing upwards, which makes the Foil to bend
accordingly, fixing itself 'till you retire.

The Foil may bend upwards in two Manners; the best Way for it to bend,
is from the Middle towards the Button; the other Way is, when almost all
the Blade makes a Semi-circle. The first has a better Effect, the Feeble
being stronger, the other makes a greater Show; but the Point being
feeble, there is not the same Advantage in the Thrust.

In all Thrusts, the Button should hit before the Right Foot comes to the
Ground, and the Left Hand and Arm be stretched out smartly, to help the
Body forward, and give more Swiftness to the Thrust: The Left Hand
should always be conformable to the Right, turning to _Quart_ or
_Tierce_, according to the Thrust. The Left Hand and Arm should be on a
Line with the Thigh, and their Height a little lower than the Shoulder.

The Body must lean a little forward before, to give the Thrust a greater
Length; the Hips must not be so much bent as other Times; which weakens
and shortens the Thrust, by the Distance which the lowering the Body
causes from the Height of the Line which must come from the Shoulder;
besides 'tis harder to recover, and you, by that Means, give the
Adversary an Opportunity of taking your Feeble with his Fort, your
Situation being very low. The Front of the Body should be hid by turning
the two Shoulders equally on a Line.

The Foot should go out strait; in order to preserve the Strength and
Swiftness of the Thrust, it must have its proper Line and Distance. The
Line must be taken from the Inside of the Left Heel to the Point of the
Adversary's Right Foot; If it turn inward or outward, the Button will
not go so far, the strait Line being the shortest; besides the Body would
be uncovered, for by carrying the Foot inwards, the Flank is exposed,
and by carrying it outwards the Front of the Body, and the Body is
thereby weakened; the Prop and the Body being obliged to form an Angle
instead of a strait Line, from the Heel of the Left Foot to the Point or
Button of the Foil.

In order to know the Distance of the Lunge, the Right Knee being bent,
must form a perpendicular Line with the Point of the Foot; if the Foot
were not so forward, the Heel would be off the Ground, and the Body
would have less Strength, and if it were carried farther the Body could
not easily bend it self, and consequently could not extend so far;
moreover, it would want Strength, being at too great a Distance from the
perpendicular Line of the Foot and Leg, which are its Support, and its
Recovery would be more difficult.

The Foot should fall firm without lifting it too high, that the Soal of
the Sandal, or Pump, may give a smart Sound, which not only looks better
and animates more, but also makes the Foot firm, and in a Condition to
answer the Swiftness of the Wrist.

Care must be taken not to carry the Point of the Foot inward or outward,
because the Knee bending accordingly, as part of the Thigh, goes out of
the Line of the Sword, and consequently, of the Line of Defence, besides
'tis very disagreeable to the Sight.

The Feet sometimes slip in the Lunge, the Right Foot sliding forward, or
the Left backward; the first is occasioned by carrying out the Foot
before the Knee is bent, whereas when the Knee brings it forward, it
must fall flat and firm; the other proceeds from the Want of a
sufficient Support on the Left Foot.

The Head should follow the Figure of the Body; when this is upright,
that should be so to; when the Body leans, the Head must lean; when you
push within, you must look at your Adversary on the Outside of your Arm,
which is done without turning the Head, by the Opposition of the Hand
only.

That every Thrust may carry with it it's due Extent and Strength, the
Opposition of the Sword, the true placing of the Body, and a Facility of
recovering; you are to observe that the two first are for Offence, and
the others for Defence.

Every Thrust must have it's just Length, and carry with it a good Air, a
regular Situation, Vigour, and a due Extension; _See the 2d. plate_.


_Of recovering in_ Guard.

As soon as the Thrust is made, you must recover in _Guard_, which is
done either by retiring out of Measure, or only to the Place from whence
you, pushed; if out of Measure, 'tis done by springing back, or by
bringing the Right Foot back behind the Left, and the Left behind the
Right; and if to the Place from whence you pushed, you must parry if
there's a Thrust made; and if not, you must command the Feeble of the
Adversary's Sword, in order to cover the Side on which it is, without
giving an Open on the other Side, which is done as you recover, by
drawing back the Body on the Left Foot; which should bring with it the
Right Knee, drawing the Foot, with the Heel a little raised from the
Ground, to prevent any Accident that may happen by the Badness of the
Terrace.

By this Recovery, commanding the Adversary's Sword, you either get Light
if he not stir, or Time if he does, which instead of being dangerous, as
has formerly been thought, it is, by the Help of Art, become
advantageous.



CHAP. IV.

_Of the Parade of Quart._


To parry, signifies, in our Art, to cover when the Adversary pushes,
that Part which he endeavors to offend; which is done it either by the
Opposition of the Sword or of the Left Hand; but as I am now speaking
of the Sword only, I must observe; that in order to parry well with it,
you are to take notice of the Manner and Swiftness of your Adversary: By
the Manner, is meant whether in _Quart_ or _Tierce_; with his Fort to
your Feeble, or with his Feeble to your Fort; and you are to observe the
Swiftness of his Thrust, that you may regulate your Parade accordingly.

[Illustration: 3rd. Plate. Parade of Quart.]

[Illustration: Parade of Quart opposing with the hand.]

When a Thrust is made with the Fort to your Feeble, which is the best
way; you must, by raising and turning the Hand a little in _Quart_,
raise the Point, which brings it nearer to you, and hinders the
Adversary from gaining your Feeble, which being raised up is too far
from him, and makes it easy for you to seize his Feeble. (Refer to the
3d. Plate.)

If the Thrust be made on the Fort or Middle of your Sword, you need only
turn the Hand a little in _Quart_.

If after the Adversary has pushed _Quart_, he pushes _Seconde_; you must
parry with the Fort, bringing it nearer to you, and for the greater
Safety, or to avoid other Thrusts, or the taking Time on your return,
you must oppose with the left hand, which hinders him from hitting you
as he meets your Thrust, and from parrying it, for want of having his
Sword at Liberty. (Refer to the 7th Plate.)

The same Opposition may be made on a Lunge in _Quart_, and to be more
safe in returning Thrust or Thrusts, you must close the Measure in
parrying, which confounds the Enemy, who finds himself too near to have
the Use of his Sword: Your Sword, in parrying, must carry it's Point
lower and more inward than in the other Parades.

If the Adversary makes a Thrust, with shortning or drawing back his
Arm, or leaving his Body open; you must defend with the Left Hand, and
lunge strait on him, unless you had rather parry with the Sword, making
use of the Opposition of the Hand, and closing the Measure, as I just
now observed.

You may also parry in disengaging,[2] drawing back the Body to the Left,
in order to give the Hand Time and Facility to make the Parade.

There are several other Parades, of which I shall treat in their proper
Places, confining myself now to the most essential.

[Illustration: 4th. Plate. A Lunge in Tierce.]

[Illustration: Tierce Parryed.]



CHAP. V.

_Of pushing_ Tierce _without_, or _on the Outside of the Sword_.


In order to push _Tierce_ well, the Hand being gone first, taking the
Feeble with the Fort, turning down the Nails, and the Wrist a little
outwards, not too high or low; in order not to give Light above or
below, the Body must bend more forward and inward than in _Quart_; the
Left Hand should extend itself in _Tierce_, because it ought, in all
Cases, to be conformable with the Right, except that it is lower. When
you push _Tierce_, you should look within your Sword: As to the Feet,
they must be, in every Lunge, on the same Line, and at the same
Distance.

The Rules I have laid down for recovering in _Quart_, will serve also in
_Tierce_, but of the contrary Side.

_Parade_ of Tierce.


To parry a Thrust made with the Fort to the Feeble, you must turn the
whole Hand, carrying it a little outwards, raising the Point, in order
to avoid the Adversary's taking your Feeble, and at the same time take
His. _See the 4th_ Plate.

If a Thrust be made on the Middle, or Fort of your Sword, you need only
turn the Hand, carrying all the Blade equally outwards. Some Masters
teach to parry this Thrust with the Hand in _Quart_, which is very
dangerous if the Enemy pushes _Quart_ over the Arm in the Fort, or
_Quart_ within, in the Feeble, there being an Opening in one, as well as
the other Case; besides the Point is too far from the Line, to make a
quick Return.

To avoid the Return of a Thrust when you have pushed _Tierce_, and that
the Adversary, in parrying, has gained to your Feeble; you must, by
raising and opposing with the Fort, bring the Pommel of your Sword on
high; so that the Point be downwards; whereby his Point will be near
your Left Shoulder, and you, not only avoid being hit, but you may make
a Thrust at the same time, by opposing with the Left Hand, and for the
greater Safety, you must return on the Blade, and push strait, without
quitting it. _See the 5th_ Plate.

[Illustration: 5th Plate. Parade of Tierce yeilding the Feeble.]

[Illustration: The same parade & opposition of the hand.]

When a Thrust is made in _Tierce_ upon the Blade on the Feeble, or by
disengaging; tho' the first is more easily parryed, you must yeild the
Feeble, opposing with the Fort, in order to guide the Adversary's Sword
to the Place the most convenient for the Opposition of the Left Hand,
and closing the Measure at the same time, you have an Opportunity,
before he can recover, to hit him several times; which must be done by
advancing on him, as fast as he retires. _See the 5th_ Plate.

You may also parry by disengaging, drawing the Body back. The Return is
easy, by pushing _Quart_; and to avoid a second Thrust from the Enemy at
the Time of your Return, you must oppose with the Left Hand. _See the
5th_ Plate.



CHAP. VI.

_Of pushing_ Seconde.


In pushing under, the Hand must be turned in _Seconde_, as high as in
_Quart_, and more within than in _Tierce_; the Body should be more bent,
lower, and more forward than in thrusting _Tierce_, and the Left Hand
lower. _See the 6th_ Plate.

Seconde ought not be pushed, but on the following Occasions: First, when
an Engagement, _Feint_ or _Half-Thrust_, is made without, that the
Adversary at one of these Times parrys high. Secondly, when your
Adversary engages your Sword on the Outside, with his Hand raised high;
or on the Inside, with his Feeble only; and thirdly, upon a Thrust or
Pass, within or without.

The Recovery in Guard, should be in _Quart_ within the Arm, though most
Masters teach to recover on the Outside, which takes much more Time, and
though the _Seconde_ is independent on the Side, it is nearer to the
Inside than to the Outside; because the Adversary carries his Wrist to
the Outside, when he gives an Opportunity of making this Thrust;
therefore you ought to return to his Sword in the shortest Time, in
order to be sooner on your Guard. If you examine this Parade, you will
find it is the only Means of recovering with Safety.

What introduced the Manner of returning to the Sword on the Outside, was
the false Method formerly used in parrying the _Seconde_ by beating on
the Blade; in _Tierce_, with the Point downwards; so that the Adversary
not being able to return but above, there was a Necessity for returning
to the Sword on the Outside in order to defend; but the Parade and
Return being no longer the same, the Manner of returning to the Sword
must also be different.



CHAP. VII.

_The Parades of_ Seconde.


_Seconde_ may be parried three Ways. First, according to the ancient
Manner I just described, which is done by a Semi-circle on the Inside,
with the Hand in _Tierce_, the Point low, almost on a Line with the
Wrist; but the Greatness of the Motion does not only render it
difficult to parry the Thrust but still harder to parry the Feint of the
Thrust and come up again; besides the _Rispost_ is dangerous; because it
requires a long Time to raise the Point, which is almost as low as the
Ground, to the Body; in which Time, the Adversary has not only an
Opportunity of parrying the Thrust, but also of hitting you whilst you
are bringing up your Point.

Secondly, _Seconde_ may be parryed by making a Half-circle on the
Outside, the Wrist in _Quart_, as high as the Shoulder, the Arm
extended, and the Point very low. _See the 7th_ Plate. It is less
dangerous, and more easy for the _Rispost_ than the former, which must
be made as soon as you have parryed, by pushing strait in _Quart_ which
the Adversary having pushed under, can hardly avoid, but by yeilding,
and battering the Sword. _See the 7th_ Plate.

To this Manner of parrying _Seconde_, there is but one Opposite, which
is done by _feinting_ below, and as the Adversary is going to cross your
Sword, in order to parry, you must disengage by a little Circle, with
the Hand in _Seconde_, which preventing the Enemy's Sword, gives an
Opportunity of hitting him above, if the Wrist is lower than I have
observed, or in _Flanconnade_, if the Wrist is high. A Man that parrys
below, in order to avoid this _Feint_, must redouble his Circle to meet
the Blade. This Parade is best in recovering, after having pushed, not
only to avoid the strait or low _Rispost_, but also any Feint or Thrust.

The third and best Parade, is made with your Fort to the Middle of the
Adversary's Sword, the Wrist turned in _Quart_, but a little lower: The
_Rispost_ of this Parade is very good, when you know how to bind the
Sword upon the _Rispost_; and it cannot be parryed without returning to
the Parade that I have here, before, described and which, I believe, is
peculiar to myself.

This Parade is by so much the more adventageous, as the _Rispost_ is
easy the Sword being near the Adversary's Body, which makes it, more
difficult for him to avoid you; besides, by this Parade, you are in
better Condition to parry, not only a Thrust below, but also any other
Thrusts and Feints, the Sword being near the Situation of Guard.



CHAP. VIII.

_Of_ Quart _under the Wrist_.


This Thrust should not be made but instead of _Seconde_, that is to say,
on an Engagement, Parade, or Lunge of the Adversary in _Quart_.

The Wrist must not be so much turned up, nor so high as in _Quart_
within; the Body should be more inward, and bending more forward. (Refer
to the 7th Plate.)

In case the Adversary pushes _Quart_, in order to take the Time, you
must lunge the Foot strong inward, to throw the Body farther from the
Line of the Adversary's Sword.

In recovering from this Thrust, the Wrist must be in _Tierce_, and the
Sword without the Enemy's whilst the other Parts take their Situation.

The Parade of this Thrust is made by a Half-circle of the Sword within,
the Wrist raised in _Quart_, and the Point low. _See the 7th Plate_.

[Illustration: _7th Plate. Thrust under the Wrist_.]

[Illustration: _It's Parade_.]

[Illustration: _8th. Plate. Flannconade.]

[Illustration: The Opposition of the Hand to the lowering the body_.]



CHAP. IX.

_Of_ Flanconnade.


This Thrust is to be made only in engaging or _risposting_ when the
Adversary carries his Wrist too far inward, or drops the Feeble of his
Sword, then you must press a little within, and with your Feeble on his,
in order to lower it, and by that means get an Opening in his Flank.

The Body, in this Thrust, is not so strait as in _Quart_ within, tho'
the Arms are. _See the 8th_ Plate.

It is necessary to oppose with the Left hand, in order to avoid a low
Thrust on your engaging, pushing or _risposting_. This is the last
Thrust of the Five which are to be made in our Art. The first us _Quart_
within the Sword, the second _Tierce_ without the Sword, the third
_Seconde_ under the Sword, the fourth _Quart_ under the Sword, and the
fifth, _Flanconnade_; and there is not any Attack, Thrust, Feint, Time
or Rispost in this extensive Art, but what depends on one of these.

The Recovery from _Flanconnade_, should be the same as from _Quart_
within the Sword.

Flanconnade is generally avoided by taking the Time in _Seconde_ with
the Body low; the Hand must oppose to shun the Thrust, and hit the
Adversary at the same time. Instead of pushing at the Flank, you should
push within the Body. _See the 8th_ Plate.

Besides the taking Time in _Seconde_, there is another very good Parade,
very little practised in Schools; either because few Masters know it, or
because it is more difficult to execute it justly. This Parade is made
by lowering the Adversary's Sword, bringing it under your's to the
Inside, and parrying a little lower on the Feeble of his Sword, you make
your _Rispost_ where he intended his Thrust, that is to say in the
Flank.



CHAP. X.

_Of Parades_.


There are two Sorts of Parades, the one by binding the Blade, the other
by a dry beat. The binding Parade is to be used when you are to
_rispost_ in _Quart_ within, in _Tierce_ without, in _Seconde_ under, in
_Flanconnade_, and in all _Feints_: And the Beat, giving a favourable
Opportunity of _risposting_, is to be used when you _rispost_ to a
Thrust in _Seconde_; or when after having parryed a Thrust in _Quart_
within, you see an Opening under the Wrist. To these two Thrusts, you
must _rispost_ almost as soon as the adversary pushes, quitting his
Blade for that Purpose, which is to be done only by a smart Motion,
joining again immediately, in order to be in Defence if the Adversary
should thrust.

There are three Things more to be observed in parrying. First, that you
are to parry all Thrusts with the inmost Edge, except in yeilding
Parades, which are made with the Flat. Secondly, that your Fort be to
the Middle, and your Middle to the Feeble of the Adversary's Sword.


And thirdly, that your situation be as rear to the guard as possible, as
to favour your riposte.


The ripostes.

In order to riposte well, you must observe the adversary's time and
recovery in guard. The time is to be taken in the thrusts of opposition
when he is recovering, and the other as soon as you have parryed. There
are three ways of riposting on the adversary's recovery in guard: when
he does not come enough to the sword, or not at all: the second, when he
comes too much, and the third, when his recovery and parade are just. To
the first, you must riposte strait; to the second by disengaging, or
cutting over or under, according as you see light; and to the last, by
making a strait feint or Half-thrust, to oblige the adversary to come to
the parade, and then pushing where there is an opening, which is called
baulking the parade.



CHAP. XI.

_Of the demarches, or manner of advancing and retiring._


Most of the Faults committed in making Thrusts when the Measure is to be
closed, proceed from the Disorder of the Body, occasioned by that of the
Feet, so that for want of moving well, you are not only in danger of
being taken on your Time, but likewise you cannot execute your Thrusts
neatly, justly, nor swiftly; the Body being disordered and weak. There
are ten Demarches in Fencing; four in advancing, five in retiring, and
one to turn your Adversary, or hinder him from turning you. The first
Demarche in advancing, is made by lifting and carrying your Left-foot
the length of your Shoe before the right, keeping it turned as in guard,
with the Knee bent, lifting up the Heel of the Right-foot, leaning the
body forward, which, on this occasion, gives it more strength and a
better air; then carrying the Right-foot about two foot before the left,
in order to be in Guard, which is done by a smart Beat of the
Right-foot.

The same _Demarche_ in retiring, is made by lifting and carrying the
Right foot the Length of the Shoe behind the Left, with the Knee a
little bent, then carrying the Left-foot on the Line, and to the
Distance of Guard.

The second _Demarche_ is called closing the Measure; which is done by
lifting and advancing the Right-foot a bout a Foot with a Beat, drawing
the Left the same Length; because by drawing it more or less you would
lose your Strength or your Measure, which few People have observed.

There is such a _Demarche_ backward, which is called breaking Measure;
which is done by lifting and carrying the Left-foot a Foot back, drawing
or bringing back the Right in Proportion according as the Ground will
permit.

If the Ground be uneven, or that you have a mind to surprize an
unskilful Man by gaining Measure unperceived, or to oblige one, a little
expert, to push at the time you advance your Body; you must, I say, if
your Adversary is unskilful, bring the Left-foot more or less near the
Right, as you are more or less out of Measure, which gains more Ground,
and less visibly than the foregoing _Demarche_, and is more favourable
to your Thrust: If your Adversary is a little expert, and pushes on this
your advancing you must bring back the Left-foot to it's Place, and he
will be out of Measure, tho' by Means of his Lunge you will be well in
Measure, which is a great Advantage.

The same _Demarche_ may be made in retiring, where the Ground is uneven,
lifting the Right-foot, bringing it near the Left, and putting back the
Left in Guard.

To make a Thrust in three Motions, being out of Measure, you must make a
double Beat, which is done by a small Beat of the Right-foot in the same
Place, beginning immediately with the same Foot to close the Measure.

The three Ways of retiring which I have shewn, are done from the
Situation in Guard. The two which are done after a Lunge are, first by
lifting and bringing the Right-foot back from the Place of the Lunge
behind the Left, and then carrying the Left behind the Right, in order
to be in Guard.

The late Monsieur De Latouche, and Monsieur De Liancour, found this
demarche better than the following one, tho' it is not so generally
used.

The second Retreat after having pushed, is made by drawing back the
Right-foot about the length of the Shoe, bending the Knees, in order to
be in a condition to chace or drive back the Left-foot with the Right,
keeping the Hams very supple, the Body free, and the Sword before you;
not only that you may spring the farther, but also to be in a better
Posture of defence. The Point of the Right-foot should come down first,
leaning immediately after on the Heel; the Left-foot must fall on the
Line at the distance, and in the Situation in Guard, as I before
observed, in order to be ready to take the Time, or to make a Riposte.

The two Masters that I have quoted, condemned this Retreat very much,
especially Monsieur De Latouche, who says in springing back, three
motions are necessary; first to draw back the Right-foot in guard,
secondly to bend the Knee, and thirdly to chace or fly back. Any Master,
will find that there should be but two motions, it being easy to bend
the Knees and draw back the Right-foot at the same Time.

Besides, his rule for springing back is false; for by drawing the
Right-foot back so far as in guard; you lose Time, the first Motion
being too long, and the Feet being so close together, the Body has not
sufficient Strength, and consequently cannot go far. From this it is
plain that three Motions are not necessary for springing back, there
being but two in all. He likewise says that the leaping back, requires
such an effort, that you have not Power to parry; but Experience
sufficiently shows that you may easily parry and spring back. Indeed on
a moving Sand, or slippery Ground, it is very difficult to leap back;
and if we consider things rightly, we cannot find our purpose answered
at all times and places; and tho' the first Retreat that I recommended,
and which these Gentlemen esteemed, is very good, yet if you are
followed closely in retreating thus, as the two Steps do not place you
at so great a Distance, by much, as the springing back, you may be put
to a Nonplus by a redouble.

When you know the just Length of your Adversary's Thrust, you may break
or steal out of measure, by leaning back the Body, without stirring the
Foot.

If in the Field, you have the Disadvantage of the Ground, the Wind, or
the Sun, or that in a School, you are exposed to too much Light, or,
pushing with an awkard Man; in order to obviate these Inconveniencies,
you must go round him, which may be done within or without according as
you have Room.

The Turning must be done out of Measure, and with great Caution: When
'tis within your Sword, you must begin with your Left-foot, carrying it
to that Side, and then bring the Right-foot to it's proper Line and
Distance; and if your Adversary turns on the Outside, you must carry the
Right-foot to that Side, and the Left in Guard, as well to avoid his
Thrusts, as to lay hold on every favourable Opportunity, in case he
should persist in his _Demarche_.

You should never give Measure but to your Inferior: Giving Measure, is
when the Body and Feet advance too much, or in Disorder; or advancing
before you are well situated, although corrected in the _Demarche_, or
advancing when you are near enough, except you be much superior to the
Enemy.

The Measure should be given to oblige the Adversary to push; in order
to get an Opportunity of taking the Time, or of _risposting_.



CHAP. XII.

_Of_ Disengagements.


There is nothing more nice, or more necessary in Fencing, than
Disengagements; the nicest Motion, being the smoothest and finest, and
the most necessary, there being but few Thrusts where you ought not to
disengage, and to several more than once; and there is no better Means
of avoiding the Advantage that a strong Man has when he presses on your
Sword.

If we confine ourselves, strictly, to the Meaning of Disengagements, we
shall find it to be of three Sorts; which are, upon the Blade, over the
Point, and under the Wrist: But as this might be too intricate in
Lessons, and a Learner mistake one for another; none should be called a
Disengagement, but that which is made on the Blade; and though the
others are, in effect, Disengagements, especially that over the Point,
which is done closer than those under the Wrist, yet they are
distinguished from Disengagements, by calling them Cuts over the Point,
and under the Wrist, according as they are used.

In order to disengage and push from the Outside to the Inside, being in
Guard towards half _Quart_; the Wrist must be raised a little at the
Time that you lower the Point and raise it again, which should be done
as close as possible, by a smooth and quick Motion, that you may be
covered and lose no Time, and be able to push with your Fort to the
Adversary's Feeble.

Some People, in pushing _Quart_ and _Tierce_, keep the Wrist in
_Tierce_, in order to push _Quart_ the swifter, which is a Fault;
because they accustom themselves to a Situation, which, when they come
to assault, is unsafe and dangerous, for want of being in the Guard of
Defence.

In disengaging from the Inside to the Outside, the Wrist should turn a
little more towards _Quart_, than in the Guard which I have recommended:
The Point should fall and rise and the same Instant, and the Hand should
turn insensibly in _Tierce_, as the Thrust goes forward.

Some Masters teach to hold the Sword in Guard between _Quart_ and
_Tierce_, and to disengage in that Situation; whereby the three
Advantages which the Disengagement in _Half-Quart_ gives you, are lost;
that is to say, first, a good Air, secondly, the being covered with the
Fort of the Sword, and thirdly, the Swiftness of the Thrust; because the
Hand has not a sufficient Freedom of Motion.

The knowing how to disengage barely is not sufficient; it is necessary
that you be acquainted with the Time, and with your Adversary's Play, in
order to disengage to Advantage. The Time is when the Adversary comes to
your Sword; and when your Adversary, depending on his Strength, comes to
your Blade, in order to guide his Thrust to your Body, is what is meant
by his Play or Manner. You may indeed disengage without taking the Time,
but with less Success.

When the Adversary engages swift, 'tis good to keep your Point a little
low, or distant from his; by which Means he requires more Time to engage
you, and gives you more to prevent him, unless you suffer him to touch
your Sword; which would not only make you lose the Time of hitting him,
but would also expose you to receive a Thrust, it being certain that
when you go to the Blade on one Side, you cannot defend the Other; for
you cannot do two opposite Actions at one and the same Time; and by the
same Rule, if you miss the Time of disengaging, and disengage too late,
you expose yourself to his Thrust; for you cannot, at the same time,
quit his Blade and parry.

Though it is necessary that every Fencer should understand the
Disengagements, it is more especially so to tall and weak Men. To the
first, that they may keep their Adversary at a Distance; which by Reason
of their Height, is an Advantage to them; and to the others in order to
prevent closing; in which Case, their Weakness would be a Disadvantage
to them.



CHAP. XIII.

_Of_ Feints.


Feints are much used in _Fencing_, whether it be by reason of their
Number, their Ease, or the Success that attends them, gaining more Time
and Light than is to be got in plain Thrusts, there being no Thrust to
be given so well as after a Feint.

The Number of Feints is so great, by reason of the many Guards and
Parades, that I should find it as difficult to describe them, as the
Reader would to comprehend them without Experience; so that I shall
confine myself to those from which the rest derive, which are, strait
Feint, Feint, and double Feint.

By strait feint, is meant a Motion or Feint to Thrust on the Side on
which your Sword is, which is to be done on the Inside, the Wrist in
_Quart_, a little higher than the Point which must be near the
Adversary's Sword, that you may be covered, whilst you endeavour to get
an Opening. This Motion should be attended with a little Beat of the
Right-foot, keeping back the Body. If, at the Time you feint, your
Adversary does not stir, you must push _Quart_: if he parrys with his
Feeble, you must immediately disengage to _Tierce_; and if he parrys
high you must cut in _Quart_ under the Wrist.

The Feint, to which I give no other Name, it being the most used, and to
distinguish it from the others, is done by feinting from _Quart_ to
_Tierce_, with a little beat of the Foot, keeping the Body back: the
Wrist must be raised in _Quart_, and the Button a little lower than the
Pommel, near the Adversary's Blade; by which means you are covered, and
can make your Thrust swifter. If the Adversary does not stir at the
Feint, you must go on strait with the _Tierce_: if he parrys with his
Feeble, you must disengage and thrust _Quart_, and if he parrys with his
Fort, you must push _Seconde_.

Several masters teach to make this Feint from the inside to the outside,
with the Wrist turned in _Tierce_; and indeed they are seemingly in the
right; a Feint being a likeness of the beginning of a Thrust; and that
likeness cannot be better shown than in the figure of the thrust: but
the smart motion of the point, causes the adversary to stir, the figure
of the hand no way contributing thereto. You are to consider which is
the most proper, not only to make the adversary answer you, but also to
make the motion quicker. Monsieur De Latouche says, that from _Quart_ to
_Quart_ there is no motion; but we have two instances to the contrary.
First, that a Man of experience has his Wrist and the bend of his Arm
free, so as to thrust strait in _Quart_, tho' in the same figure; and
secondly, if there be a motion preceding the Thrust, as in a
Disengagement, or a cut under; this motion is sufficient to help the
swiftness of the Feint, and of the Thrust: in short, the motion from
_Quart_ to _Quart_, being quicker than feinting from _Quart_ to
_Tierce_, and returning in _Quart_; it ought to have the preference,
swiftness being the line of Fencing. The only Feints that should be made
in _Tierce_, are those that are marked from below above to return below,
and from above below to return above.

The double Feint is in two motions, so that in order to push within the
Sword, you must be without; and making a little motion in _Quart_
within, with a little beat of the Foot, you feint again without closing
the measure, keeping back the Body in order to be out of the adversary's
reach: if he parrys with his Fort, you must cut under in _Seconde_, and
if he parrys with his Feeble, disengage to _Quart_ within.

As there are in this Thrust three motions of the Sword, _viz._ the two
Feints and the Thrust; the Foot must make as many, in order to answer
the motions of the Hand.

Some Masters teach to make the double Feint without stirring the Foot;
and others teach to advance on the first Motion. In the first Case,
being in the Adversary's Measure, you lose too much Time, which is very
dangerous: And advancing on the first motion, is almost as dangerous as
keeping the Foot firm, by putting yourself within the Adversary's Reach;
besides the Manner is not so graceful as that which I recommend, in
which you are not within his Reach 'till the second Motion; and this is
attended with another Advantage; for by bearing with the Right-foot, the
Body must of necessity be kept back, and consequently, farther from the
Sword of the Adversary, and in a better Condition to act.

There are two other Ways of making these Thrusts: The one by an Interval
between the first and second Motions, joining or uniting the other two;
and the latter between the second and third Motions, joining the two
first. Though both these Methods are good, I prefer the latter, which
puts you in a better Condition, not only to avoid your Adversary's
Thrust, but also to chuse your own; the Interval giving you a favourable
Opportunity of doing both.

There has been so much said of the Feints which I have described, with
their Opposites, that I shall say no more of them, nor will I speak of
an infinite Number of other Feints, strait, single, and double, within,
without, and under, in disengaging, or cutting over the Point, or under
the Wrist, in risposting, or redoubling Thrusts; all which, depend on
the three which I have described; in which, as in all Thrusts, the Body
must be kept back, and the Fort of the Sword before you; by which Means,
you are more out of Danger, and the Wrist is better prepared. Some Men
mark Feints with the Head and Body, which is a very disagreeable Sight,
and dangerous with Regard to Time.

A Feint is the Likeness of the Beginning of a Thrust: It is made to put
the Adversary off his Guard, and to gain an Opening. In order to take
Advantage of the Time and Light which you get by your Feint, you must
take care to avoid an Inconveniency into which many People fall, by
uncovering themselves in endeavouring to uncover the Adversary.



CHAP. XIV.

_Of cutting over the Point of the_ Sword.


In order to cut over the Point, within from without, the Wrist must be
turned towards _Tierce_, which gives it a swifter Motion. When your
Point is over your Adversary's, you must turn the Wrist in _Quart_,
pushing with your Fort to his Feeble: Though this is a regular Way of
cutting, what is most essential to perfect the Thrust is wanting, that
is to say, the Motion that should precede it, which is commonly a
Half-thrust or Feint, by which, two Advantages are gained: First you
discompose your Adversary, and secondly, your Thrust is swifter, being
by so much the more vigorous, as the Motion previous thereto is so. At
the Time you make a Half-thrust or Feint, you must make a little Beat
with the Foot, bearing back the Body to break your Adversary's Measure.

The Cut from the Inside to the Outside, has commonly more Success than
that from the Outside to the Inside, the Adversary going more readily to
his Parade on this Side than on the other. The Manner of cutting on the
Outside, is by placing your Sword within, making a little Motion or
strait Feint, the Wrist in _Quart_, the Fort of the Sword before you, in
order to be covered, and your Point very near the Adversary's Sword; you
must beat a little with the Foot, bending the Body back a little, and as
the Adversary is going to parry with the Feeble, you must pass your
Point quickly over his, pushing in _Tierce_, with your Fort to his
Feeble.

Though all Thrusts have the same following Ones; the Cut has them more
easy; it's Motion from above to below, disposing it better than the
Disengagements, if the Thrust be from the Outside to the Inside, and
that the Adversary parrys with his Fort to your Feeble: Besides the
Recovery in Guard, which is common after all Thrusts, you must, upon a
Parade with the Fort, if it be without stirring the Foot, or in
advancing, join: And if the Adversary makes this Parade in retiring, he
gives you an Opportunity of cutting in _Quart_ under the Wrist, and on
his parrying with the Feeble, you must return in _Seconde_, bringing
forward the Left-foot a little, in order to procure a Reprise or second
Lunge.

These two Reprises are to be made before you are acquainted with your
Adversary's Manner of parrying; but when you have discovered it, if it
be with his Fort, you must cut over and under the Wrist in _Quart_, and
if with his Feeble, return in _Tierce_, that is to say, make an entire
Circle. These Cuts are to be made in one or two Motions; in the first
you are not to stop, but in the other, you make a short Interval by a
little Beat with the Foot.

The Thrusts following the Cut from the Inside to the Outside, before you
know your Adversary's Parade, are made thus: If 'tis with the Fort, you
must return with a Cut in _Seconde_, under the Sword, advancing the
Left-foot a little; If he parrys with the Feeble, you must return by
disengaging to _Quart_ within, advancing the Left-foot, as before: Some
People return a Cut in _Tierce_, in _Quart_, by another Cut over the
Point, of _Quart_ in _Tierce_, and so on the contrary Side.

When you foresee the Parade, you may at once cut from the Inside to the
Outside, and under in _Seconde_; or return within, according as the
Parade is made with the Fort or Feeble. You may also make these
Redoubles by a little Interval over the Sword, beating with the Foot.

There are other Redoubles which are made by drawing back the Body
without stirring the Feet.

See the Chapter of Reprises.

The Cut may be made not only after a Half-thrust, or strait Feint, as I
have said, but also after an Engagement, Lunge, or Pass, and in
Risposting, which is the best and most used; because that is to be done
only in recovering to Guard, or by bringing one Foot behind the other,
or springing back; To the first you must Rispost with the Foot firm, and
to the other by closing the Measure.



CHAP. XV.

_Of the_ Reprise, _or redoubled Thrust_.


The Term _Reprise_ signifies a succession of Thrusts without Interval,
or with very little. It may be done in three Manners; First after having
pushed without recovering, Secondly, in recovering or being recovered;
and Thirdly, when the Enemy steals Measure.

The first and last of these three Reprises may be called Redoubles.

The first Reprise is made after having pushed _Quart_, the Enemy having
parryed with his Feeble, you must return in _Seconde_, advancing the
left Foot a little to make the Action easier to the right Foot, and tho'
it be not necessary to advance it unless the Enemy retires, it serves
for an Ornament, and to give more Vigour to the Thrust: But if as soon
as the Enemy has parryed he Risposts, you must only redouble with the
Hand, the Body low without stirring the Feet, and join. If he Risposts
under the Wrist in the Flank, you must either parry crossing his Sword
as you recover, opposing with the left Hand, or return, as I said, with
the Hand in _Seconde_.

Upon the Rispost of the Enemy, you may also redouble, volting strait, or
cutting in the Flank according as he raises his Hand more or less in his
Rispost, in order to facilitate your Volt; you must immediately after
your Lunge follow a little with the left Foot.

The second Reprise is made, after having pushed _Quarte_, when in
recovering to Guard the Enemy advances, without being covered, or that
suffering the Superiority of your Sword, he gives you room to thrust in
_Quarte_, if he disengages, you must go off in _Tierce_, if he forces
your Sword with his Feeble, you must disengage to _Tierce_, and if with
his Fort cut _Quarte_ under the Wrist.

In order to get time for this Redouble, you must make a half Thrust,
immediately getting out of Measure, either with the Body Simply, or by
the first Demarche backwards, or by leaping a little back; if the Enemy
advances it will be either strait or making a Feint, or on your Sword;
to the two first you must push strait _Quarte_, or _Seconde_, lowering
the Body or volting, and if he comes on your Sword you must disengage
and push over in _Tierce_.

The third Reprise is made when the Enemy upon your pushing _Quarte_
breaks Measure without or with parrying; to the one you must redouble in
_Quarte_, with your Fort to his Feeble, which is done after a strait
Thrust, Feint, Engagement, or Rispost; and if the Enemy parrys, you must
likewise redouble forwards by a Disengagement, or a Cut under or over
according to his Parade, or as Opportunity offers. To redouble forward,
or make several Reprises following with ease, you must as often as you
thrust follow with the left Foot.


_The_ Reprises _on the_ Outside.

If you push in _Tierce_ and your Adversary parrys with the Fort, you
must redouble in _Seconde_, and if he parrys with the Feeble disengage
to _Quarte_, advancing a little the left Foot that the Right may have
the Liberty of a second Motion.

If the Enemy after parrying _Tierce_ shou'd Rispost strait or under, to
the first you may disengage and volt, and to the other volt strait,
advancing the left Foot a little in Lunging, in order to have the
Liberty of Volting, because you cannot easily do it when you are
extended: It is more easy to take the Time opposing with the left Hand;
and 'tis best of all to parry and thrust strait in _Quarte_; if after
having pushed _Tierce_, on your Recovery to Guard, you find you have the
Command of the Enemy's Sword, or that he advances uncovered, you, must
in these Cases push strait in _Tierce_ if he disengage you must take the
time and push _Quarte_, if he comes to your Sword with his Fort, you
must cut under in _Seconde_, if with his Feeble, disengage in _Quarte_,
it is also good after having pushed _Tierce_ to recover with your Sword
high, giving Light under, and if the Enemy pushes there, you must take
the Time opposing with the left Hand, or Parry and Rispost.

It is good likewise for a Decoy to make a half Thrust and recover with
the Sword quite distant from you Body, and if the Enemy comes to your
Sword, you must disengage and thrust at his Open, and if he makes at
your Body, you must volt or oppose with the Hand and thrust where you
have Light.

The Reprises or Redoubles in advancing are made in _Tierce_ by the same
Rules as those within are. That is to say, either strait, or by
disengaging or cutting over or under, according as the Enemy either
lets you make your Thrust, or goes to his Parade.

All these Redoubles may be made on a Rispost as well as on other Lunges.



CHAP. XVI.

_Of passing_ Quarte _within the Sword._


A Pass is contrary to a Volt as well in Figure as in it's Occasion, the
left Leg in the Figure passing foremost, and in a Volt behind, to help
the Body to turn, and in it's occasion, the Pass being to be made as in
a Lunge, taking the Time, or his Time, whereas the Volt cannot be made
without a great deal of Time; yet the Pass is different from a Lunge,
the one being made with the foremost Foot, and the Pass with the
hindmost, which gives the Thrust a greater Length, more Strength and
Swiftness, and a greater Facility of taking the Feeble with your Fort,
the Body goes further, because the Center from which it departs in a
Lunge is in the left Foot, and in a Pass in the right Foot which is more
advanced, and also because in passing you advance the Left Foot more
than you do the Right in Lunging, and the Parts being higher on a Pass
than in a Lunge there is a greater Facility of taking the Feeble with
your Fort.

[Illustration: 9th Plate. A Pass in Quart.]

[Illustration: The Lowering the Body on the Pass.]

In a Pass in _Quarte_, the Hands and Arms must be displayed as in a
Lunge, not only in their Figure, but in the same Order, that is to say,
the Hand must move first to bring on the Shoulder and the Body; which
should lean more forward than in Lunging, at the Time that carrying the
left Foot about two Foot and an half, you find your Pass at it's full
Extention. As your Body is too much abandoned forward to recover itself
easily, you must rush on your Enemy, seize the Guard of his Sword, and
present him your Point, which is done by advancing the right Foot to
such a Distance as to be out of the reach of his Leg whilst you advance,
which otherwise might give him an Opportunity, by Tripping to throw you
down. As you advance the right Foot you must seize the Guard of his
Sword, at the same time drawing back your Sword, keeping it high. Then
you must carry your right Foot behind the Left to almost the Distance of
a Lunge, in Order to be strong, as well to avoid his pulling you
forward, as to draw him to you.

If the Enemy parrys the Pass with his Fort, you must only join,
commanding his Sword with your Fort, 'till you have seized his Guard
with the left Hand, which must be done at the Time that you advance the
right Foot, carrying your Sword from the Inside to the Out, then you
must bring the left Foot to the side of the right, and bring back the
right presenting the Sword to the Enemy.

If he parrys with his Feeble, you must, without stopping, either cut
over his Point from within to without, or turn the Wrist in _Seconde_,
lowering your Body, and bringing up the right Foot seize his Guard, then
carrying your Sword from within to without, you advance the left Foot to
the side of the right, and drawing back the right present your Sword.

The easiest means to avoid and hit a Man who passes in _Quart_ within
are to parry dry and Rispost swiftly in the Flank, and if the Pass is
made straight along the Blade with the Fort to your Feeble, you must by
lowering your Feeble, turn your Wrist in _Quarte_ carrying the Point
perpendicularly down, supporting the Wrist, without, and bringing your
Sword round by the Outside of the Adversary's Shoulder, you find your
Sword above his, with your Point to his Body. You may also upon the same
Pass lower the Body and push _Seconde_.

[Illustration: 10th Plate. The Turning the Body on a Pass in Tierce.]

[Illustration: Pass in Seconde Volting the Body.]


_To Pass in_ Tierce.

In passing _Tierce_, as in a Lunge, the Wrist must draw the Shoulder and
Body forward, bringing, as in a Pass in _Quarte_, the Left-foot about
two Feet and an Half before the Right, then advancing the Right foremost
and out of the Reach of the Enemy's; you must seize the Guard of his
Sword, and again advancing the Left-foot near the Right, you draw back
the Right and present the Point.

The Counters or Opposites to this Pass, are the strait Rispost, or the
Rispost under, the taking Time, cutting _Seconde_ under, disengaging, or
counter disengaging and volting, but the surest is to loosen the
Right-foot turning the Body half round to the right, opposing with the
Sword and presenting the Point to the Enemy, which hindering him from
hurting you, throws him on your Point if he abandons himself, and at the
same time you seize the Guard of his Sword. _See the 10th_ Plate.

_To Pass in_ Seconde.

In passing _Seconde_, there must, as in a Lunge, be a preparatory
Motion, which is made by a Feint, or by an Engagement on the Blade to
oblige the Enemy to parry high, in order to take that Time to pass
under, which is done by advancing the Left-foot very much, with the Body
lower and more forward than in other Passes, and advancing the
Right-foot, you seize the Enemy's Sword, bringing yours from under over,
and advancing the Left-foot to the Side of the Right, you draw back the
Right presenting the Point. You must take notice, that in a Pass in
_Quarte_ with it's Joining, there are but three Steps, and that in the
Passes in _Tierce_ and _Seconde_ there are four. The first, passing the
Left-foot before the Right; the second, advancing the Right to seize the
Sword; the third, bringing up the Left-foot a little, and the fourth,
bringing back the Right, presenting the Point.

In order to avoid, and to hit the Enemy on his Pass, besides parrying
and pushing strait, as in the Thrust lunged in _Seconde_, in the 6th
Plate, you may also make a strait Thrust, opposing with the Left-hand,
or by volting, as is shewn in the Cut of the 10th Plate.

Tho' a Pass carries along with it, as I have observed, a greater
Extension and Swiftness than a Lunge, yet as you cannot recover from it,
it should be seldom practised, especially if you are not the strongest,
or able in three attacks to hit twice, there being nothing more
disagreeable to the Sight than to see several Passes made without
hitting. But it is otherwise in Lunges, by reason of the Liberty of
recovering and parrying.

Passes were more used formerly than they are now, whether it was to
endeavour to bring them to Perfection, or because it has been found that
this Sort of Play was not so sure.



CHAP. XVII.

_Of volting the Body._


The Volting of the Body, which many People call _Quarting_, shou'd never
be done but at times when you are abandoned, as in Case of Lunges or on
an Engagement of Feint in Disorder, of when finding yourself so
disordered as not being able to parry, you must of necessity have
recourse to volting in order to avoid the Thrust; but to do it at an
improper time, as some do, is very dangerous, by reason of the Facility
of parrying it, it being a Figure in Fencing which gives the least
Strength, Extention, of Swiftness to a Thrust; besides that presenting
the Flank and Small of the Back, the Adversary, in order to hit these
Parts, has nothing to do but parry with his point a little within and
low.

In volting you must begin with the Arms and Left-foot, by whose
Assistance you turn the body; the Hands shou'd turn in _Quarte_, the
Right as in a Lunge or Pass, and the Left more without; you must at the
same time turn upon the Point of the Right-foot, bringing the Heel
outwards, and the Left-foot behind the Right, a little farther outwards,
which gives the Body almost the Figure of a Left-handed Man; having
turned about a Quarter round, the Body in this Posture must necessarily
be in Disorder. _See the 10th Plate_.

Having finished these Motions, if you find, for want of the Enemy's
having suficiently abandoned himself, that you have not an Opportunity
of Joining, you must without stirring the Body or Left-foot, return
with your Sword on the Enemy's, and from his Sword to his Body, and from
the Body to the Sword, as often as you shall see proper, which may be
easily done, your Thrusts being but of small Extension, as well by
reason of the Action of the Enemy coming to you, as by the Advancement
of the Volt; you should, at the same time, oppose with the Left-hand, to
avoid the Thrusts that the Enemy might make upon the Time of yours; by
this means you may easily come to Guard again, or if he retires you may
push at him, the Left-foot by it's Advancement having given a great
Advantage to your Thrust, and if instead of retiring, he has a mind to
join, you must prevent him by seizing the Guard of his Sword, presenting
your Point to him.

If in an Assault the Foil be entangled in the Shirt or elsewhere, or
that in Battle the Sword be too far entered, or that the Enemy lay hold
on the Blade; in these Cases you must shift your Sword to the other
Hand, which is done after the Volt, advancing your Right-foot, taking
hold of your Blade with the Left-hand about four inches from the Guard,
whilst with the Right you seize his Guard, and drawing back your Sword
you present him the Point.

Tho' Volting is not best in Combat, yet it may on some Occasions be
necessary, besides it is my Business to speak of them, at the same time
advising that 'tis much better to make use of Parades and Risposts, than
of Time of what Sort soever.

The Joining on a Volt is the same as on passing in _Quarte_.



CHAP. XVIII.

_Of Joining or seizing the_ Sword.


You may join after having parryed any Thrust or Pass whatever, as also
after having pushed, passed, or volted in whatever Figure, or on
whatever Side it may be, especially when the Enemy abandons himself, or
you abandon yourself: If the Enemy abandons himself by a Lunge or Pass;
in case of the first, you must close the Measure in parrying, seizing at
the same time the Guard of his Sword with your Left-hand and carrying
the Right-foot back present him the Point; and in case of a Pass, you
must parry with your Feet firm, and seize his Guard, drawing back the
Right-foot and presenting your Point in like Manner.

[Illustration: 11th Plate The Seizing and presenting the Sword.]

[Illustration: Parrying and Disarming.]

If you have pushed being too near, that your Right-foot slipped, or
that the Enemy in parrying closed Measure; if he parryed with his Feeble
you must redouble in _Seconde_ and join, and if with his Fort, you must
oppose his Sword with your's 'till with your Left-hand you have seized
the Guard, advancing the Left-foot; this Motion being done, you pass
your Sword over the Enemy's from within to without; and loosing the
Right-foot present him your Point.

Upon the Parade of _Tierce_ with the Fort, being near you must join,
seizing the Guard, advancing the Left Leg, and drawing back the Right,
and present the Point; or you may, before you join, cut under in
_Seconde_; the first is surer at the Sword, and the other more beautiful
in an Assault where a Thrust is more esteemed, than joining.

If on a Pass or Lunge the Enemy shou'd attempt to join or seize your
Sword, you must, in order to prevent him, change it from the Right-hand
to the Left, four Inches from the Guard, as I have already observed,
seizing his with the Right-hand, and presenting him the Point, holding
it at such a Length as to hit him whilst he is unable to come near you.

In Joining, if you cannot seize the Guard, you must the Blade, helping
with your Elbow, turning the Hand to break the Blade, or take away the
sword, which may be done if you are cunning and nervous, especially if
the Enemy's Wrist is in _Quarte_, in which there is no Danger of hurting
yourself, because the Sword cannot slip thro', and consequently, can't
cut your Fingers, as has happened to some by their Imprudence; by this
Means, you have time not only to secure yourself, but also to hit your
Enemy. Some People seize the Arm, but that is of no use, because the
Enemy may change Hands and hit you.

You may throw a Man down after having pushed, either upon the Pass of
_Quarte_ or _Tierce_; if in _Quarte_, it is done after advancing the
Left-foot, crossing the Enemy's Sword with your Fort, and carrying your
Right-leg without his, at the same time pushing the Sword up from the
Inside to the Out, and carrying the Right Arm to his Neck, and the Left
to the Small of his Back: These three Actions must be done at the same
time. There has been so much said on this Head, with the Joining
without, that I shall say no more of it.

The Joining in Passes within, without, and under, is the same as in
their Lunges.

In whatever Manner you join you must present the Sword at a Distance, in
order to hinder the Enemy from seizing it, or putting it off with his
Left Hand to throw himself in upon you: If the Enemy shou'd make a
Difficulty of yeilding up his Sword, you must, in order to frustrate his
Hopes of closing you, and to make him follow you, draw back the
Left-foot behind the Right, and the Right behind the Left, at such a
Distance as to be strong, at the same time moving the Point of your
Sword circularly; by this Means, you are in a Condition either of giving
or taking his Life, which you would not be if he could close you, by
which you would be oblig'd to kill him, or render the Advantage doubtful
by struggling.



CHAP. XIX.

_Of engaging in_ Quarte _in a midling Guard._


I Have hitherto treated of the Means whereby to make Thrusts, and in
this and the following Chapters, I will shew on what Occasion they are
to be made use of. Tho' there is an infinite Number of Figures or
Postures, and that every Posture may be in Guard, whether within, or
without, _Prime_, _Seconde_, _Tierce_, or _Quarte_, they proceed from
the Midling Guard, the Strait, the High, or the Low Guard, each of which
may be attacked and defended within or without.

Though there are many Means to disorder the Enemy by putting him out of
Guard in order to hit him on that Occasion, they all depend either upon
a Feint by the Side of his Sword to draw him on, or on a Motion of your
Sword on his, to uncover him, taking his Sword from the Line of your
Body, and placing yours on a Line with his, which is called engaging.
And there are several other Ways of coming to the Sword, which are the
Beats, Crossings, Bindings, and Lashings; the Occasions of which, and
the Manners of using them, I shall shew in their proper Places. I begin
with engaging in the midling Guard, as the neatest, the most used, and
the best.

To engage this Guard within, it must be done with the Edge on the same
Side, without going wide, in order to keep your Fort before you, and
your Point before the Enemy, carrying both Parts alike; the Engagement
must be made Feeble to Feeble, a little more to your Enemy's than your
own, because if it were with the Feeble to the Fort, the Enemy's Sword
would not be displaced, besides if he should push, you could not parry,
being unable with your Feeble to resist his Fort; and if it were with
the Fort to the Feeble, you wou'd be in Danger of being hit under, where
there would be an Opening; besides you would be oblig'd to advance much,
which would be dangerous.

On your Engagement, the Enemy may do Three things, either of which,
produces several others. First, either he will let you engage, or
secondly, he will disengage, or thirdly, he will come to your Blade.

If he lets you engage, you must push _Quarte_, or, by way of
Precaution, make a Half-thrust, in order to see if he stirs, to retire,
or to have recourse to his Parade, or to Time.

If he does not stir, you must, as I said, push _Quarte_; if he retires,
redouble your Thrust; if he parrys with his Fort cut _Quarte_ under the
Wrist; if with the Feeble, disengage, or cut over the Point in _Tierce_;
and if upon the Half-thrust he takes the Time pushing strait, you must
parry and risposte, or take the Time in _Seconde_, with your Body low;
if he takes the Time lowering his Body, you must parry and oppose with
the Left-hand, risposting in _Quarte_; if he takes the Time cutting
under the Wrist, you must parry crossing the Sword in _Quarte_, opposing
with the Hand, in order to make your Rispost more safely; and if he
volts upon the Half-thrust, you must parry and risposte in
_Flanconnade_, or take the Time, with, your Body low.

If when you engage he disengages, it will be either, 1st, without
Design, or 2dly, to disengage and push _Tierce_ over, or 3dly, disengage
breaking Measure, or 4thly, disengage, and come to your Blade without,
or 5thly disengage making a Feint, and pushing _Quarte_ or 6thly,
disengage to take a Counter to your Time.

1st. If he disengages with a Design only to disengage, you must on the
Time push _Tierce_.

2dly. If he disengages breaking Measure, you must redouble in _Tierce_,
advancing.

3dly. If he disengages and pushes without, you must parry and risposte
quick where you have Light, or take Time against him, disengaging and
volting, or lowering the Body.

4thly. If he disengages and comes to your Blade without; if 'tis with
his Fort, you must cut under in _Seconde_; and if with the Feeble, you
must Counter-disengage from without to within.

5thly. If on the Engagement, he feint _Tierce_ in order to push
_Quarte_, you must push or take the Time strait upon the Feint, or by
lowering the Body on the Thrust.

6thly. If he disengages giving Light, to take a Counter to your Thrust,
whether by a Rispost or Time, you must make a False-time or
Half-thrust, and if he parrys, or takes the Time, in Case of the first,
you must baulk his Parade; and if he takes the Time, you must take
another upon him.

If, upon the Engagement, he goes to your Blade with his Fort, you must
cut under his Wrist, and if with his Feeble, disengage and push without
in _Tierce_.

Though an Engagement may be made Blade to Blade, without Disengaging,
that is Inside to Inside; better and more common to make it by
disengaging from the Outside to the Inside.



CHAP. XX.

_Of engaging in_ Tierce _in the Midling Guard_.


The Engagement without shou'd be made from your being placed within,
Feeble to Feeble, for the same Reason as in _Quarte_, the Wrist shou'd
be turned in _Tierce_; in this Engagement as in _Quarte_, the
Antagonist may do three things. 1st, let you engage him, 2d. or
disengage, 3d. or come to your Blade.

If he lets you engage him, you must carry on your Thrust in _Tierce_, or
make a Half-Thrust, to see if he does not stir, if he retires, if he
parrys, or if he takes the Time.

If upon your Half-thrust he does not stir, you must thrust strait, if he
retires, advance and redouble.

If he parrys with his Fort, cut _Seconde_ under, if with his Feeble, you
must disengage or cut over the Point from _Tierce_ to _Quarte_, and if
upon the Half-thrust he takes the Time pushing strait, you must either
parry and risposte, or make him Time, volting or lowering the Body.

If he takes the Time in _Seconde_, lowering his Body, you must either
parry him and thrust _Quarte_, or pushing _Quarte_, oppose with the Left
hand, or volt.

If on your Engagement he disengages, 'tis as in _Quarte_, 1st either
without Design, 2d. or to retire, 3d. or to take the Time pushing
_Quarte_ or volting, 4th. or to come to your Blade, 5th. or to make a
Feint; 6th. or to take a Counter to your Thrust.

1st. If he disengage without Design, you must push strait in _Quarte_,
or make a Half-thrust, and go on with the same.

2d. If he disengages breaking Measure, you must come forward redoubling
in _Quarte_.

3d. If he disengages and pushes _Quarte_, which, on this Occasion, is
called Counter-disengaging, you must either parry and risposte, or take
the Time lowering the Body, or volting.

4th. If he disengages and comes to your Sword within, with his Fort, you
must cut _Quarte_ under the Wrist, and if with his Feeble, you must
Counter-disengage from the Inside to the Outside.

5th. If he makes a Feint in order to return in _Tierce_, you must either
parry or take the Time as I have said.

6th. If he disengages giving Light, to take a Counter on your Thrust,
whether by Rispost or Time, you must make a Feint, and if he parrys with
his Fort you must cut under in _Seconde_, if with his Feeble, you must
disengage and push _Quarte_, if he takes the Time strait, you must lower
the body, if he takes Time lowering his body, you must parry and push
strait in _Quarte_, if he cuts in _Flank_, you must parry crossing the
Sword in _Quarte_, and if he volts, you must parry and risposte in
_Flanconnade_.

If on the Engagement without, he comes to your Sword with his Fort, you
must cut under in _Seconde_, if with his Feeble, disengage or cut over
the Point in _Quarte_.


_When you are engaged within the_ Sword.

If the Enemy engage you within with his Fort, you must cut under the
Wrist, and if with his Feeble, disengage from within to without, of if
you don't care to do that, make a Feint without; if on this Feint he
goes to the Parade with his Fort, you must push _Seconde_ under, and if
with his Feeble, disengage in _Quarte_.

When the Enemy engages to make you push, in order to parry and rispost,
you must, as I have said, make a Half-thrust and retire giving Light,
in order to take him by a Counter to his thrust, by a Parade, or by
Time.

You may on the same Engagement, remain engaged on purpose, in order to
make the Adversary path strait; and in this Case, you must parry and
risposte where he is uncovered, or take Time lowering the Body.

If after having engaged you he shou'd make a Feint, you must, by going
to the Parade, give Light on purpose, and if he pushes, take him by a
Contrary.

If he engages to make you disengage, in order to take the Time on your
Disengagement, you must disengage and give him a little Light, and if he
pushes at it, take him by a Rispost, or a Time opposite to his.

If you are engaged in _Tierce_ with the Fort, you must cut under the
Wrist in _Seconde_, and if with the Feeble, and the Hand in _Quarte_,
disengage to _Quarte_ within, or, by Way of Caution, make a Half-thrust;
if the Adversary goes to the Parade, you must push where you have Light,
and if he takes the Time, parry and risposte, or take a Time to his.

You may also upon an Engagement in _Tierce_, make a Feint below, and if
he takes the Time, parry above and risposte below. This Thrust is very
good against a Man that's disorder'd, who coming to the Parade above,
gives room to hit him below.



CHAP. XXI.

_Of several Guards, and the Manner of attacking them_.


Tho' all the Guards are Good when well defended, yet they are not
equally good; because we ought not to look upon any thing as good, that
does not procure us some Advantage, and an ill placed Guard, instead of
being favourable, requires a great deal of Skill to be of any Use at
all, being farther from a Posture of Defence, the midling Guard only
carrying with it such a Disposition of the Point and Wrist as is
sufficient to defend the Inside, the Outside, the Upper and Lower Parts
of the Body with the Sword: For as to the other Guards, whether Flat,
High, or Low, or holding the Sword with both Hands, they leave some
Part uncovered, either by reason of their Height, or their Line.


_To attack a strait Guard._

No Man of Skill or Reason will give a considerable Open without a
Design, and as the People who hold such a Guard as I am going to
describe, have their several Designs, you must be cautious of them, in
order not only to make them useless to them, but advantageous to
yourself.

Some Men hold their Swords strait or flat,[3] whether 'tis because they
are more used to Disengagements than Parades, or to take Advantage of
the Superiority of their Stature, or of the Length of their Sword, to
avoid the Attacks and Engagements to which the other Guards are more
exposed; for you can hardly engage or feint on this Guard, the Point
being too low; so that to attack him, you must bind the Sword, which you
must do after placing yourself within his Sword, binding his Blade under
yours, when he is out of Measure, to take, with more Ease, the Feeble of
his Sword, crossing it with yours, raising your Hand in _Seconde_, and
carrying the Point low, whilst gaining Measure, you form a little Circle
with the two Points, and raising them up again, you push _Seconde_
within, with the Body low.

Tho' it be almost impossible for the Enemy to disengage, when you have
bound his Sword as I have described, it may happen that if some of the
Circumstances were wanting, he might disengage and push, which ought not
to hinder you from making your Thrust; because your Sword may very well
hit him, passing under his, which cannot hurt you, because of the
Lowness of your Body.

The Binding is easy to be parryed, by reason of the natural Tendency to
follow the Sword, which is done by raising and bringing your Fort
nearer. These following have commonly more Success.

The first is made after having bound the Sword, instead of pushing
_Seconde_ within, you must, upon the Parade, disengage and push _Tierce_
over: If the Adversary is quick enough in his Parade to shun this double
Motion, you must have recourse to the third, binding the Sword in the
like Manner, and feinting above, return below.

Tho' the Sword is seldom bound on the Outside, upon some Occasions and
to some People it would not be amiss; it must be done with your Feeble
to the Enemy's, with the Precautions necessary in binding within, by a
little Circle without, the Hand in _Quarte_, and if he does not stir, or
if he disengages, you must push without, the Hand in _Quarte_. These
following are according to the Parade with the Fort or with the Feeble,
pushing _Seconde_ under, or _Quarte_ within.

As in all Thrusts the Hand must be easy and uniform, it must be more so
in this than in the others, because the Binding cannot be made without a
very close and smooth Motion.

Though several Masters teach to disengage in order to bind the Sword, I
would not have it done so for two Reasons: First, because the
disengaging gives Time to the Opponent, not only to thrust strait, but
also to disengage; and Secondly, because you cannot so easily bind the
Sword as when you are on the same Side.

In binding the Blade, you must close the Measure; because a Man who is
superior to you, in Height, by the Length of his Sword, or by his
Situation, won't let his Inferior into Measure; in one or the other
Case, being at a proper Distance, you bind more easily on the Feeble.

[Illustration: 12th Plate. Attack in the high Guard.]

[Illustration: Attack in the low Guard.]


_To attack the high Guard._

In this Guard, you must place yourself under, with the Hand in
_Seconde_, covering the upper Part, in order to oblige the Enemy to go
under; which being the most distant Place from his Sword, procures you
more Time to avoid him. He may, on this Occasion, do three things: Let
you engage him, go under, or force your Sword.

If he lets you engage him, 'tis either with a Design to parry, or to
take the Time; wherefore, before you push, you must make a Half-thrust
under: If he parrys, it will be in one of the three Ways that I have
shewn in the Parade of _Seconde_, Chap. 8, where you may see all their
Counters.

If upon the Half-thrust he takes the Time, you must parry and risposte
below, or push strait, opposing with the Hand; you may also volt on
this Occasion, but it is better to parry.

If he opposes with his Hand upon your Half-thrust, you must parry with
your Left-hand, and, pushing near his Left Shoulder, baulk his Hand.

And if he volts on your Half-thrust, you must parry and risposte in the
Flank.

If on the Engagement he thrust under, you must parry and thrust strait,
or take the Time, opposing with your Hand, and if instead of going
under, he only feints there in order to return above; you must either
parry the Feint and risposte under, or push on the time, as I have said
before.

If he makes use of the same Thrust, pushing at the Time of your going
under, you must make believe to push there, returning quickly to the
Parade above, and risposte under.

And if he would draw you on in order to make this Rispost on you, you
must make a Half-thrust, keeping on your Parade below, to risposte
strait in _Quarte_.

If upon your Engagement he forces your Sword, you must yeild the
Feeble, opposing with the Fort and the Left-hand. _See the 5th_ Plate.

To keep the Enemy from forcing your Sword, you must cross his Blade with
your Fort to his Feeble.


_To attack the low Guard._

Those who hold a low Guard have a Design either to parry with the Sword
or with the Hand, to lower the Body or to volt; therefore as in the
other Guards you must make a false Time, or half Thrust, and if he
parrys with the Sword, thrust where you see Light, if he parry with the
Hand, you must feign a strait Thrust in order to bring his Left-hand to
the Parade, at the same time raising your Point with a little Circle,
pushing at the left Side with the Hand in _Seconde_, the Body low,
whereby you baulk his Left-hand, and for the greater Safety, you must
oppose his Thrust with your Hand, endeavouring in your Risposts, to
deceive his Sword and his Hand.

If he waits for your Thrust in order to lower the Body or to volt, you
must make a Half-thrust to draw him on, and take one of the Counters
which I have spoken of before.

If the low Guard is within your Sword, you must attack it making a
Semi-circle with the Point of the Sword down, lashing and crossing his,
the Hand in _Quarte_, and to push without Danger, you must oppose with
the Left-hand: This Thrust is good against a Man that pushes at the same
Time.

If the low Guard is without your Sword, you must lash in _Tierce_,
crossing the Sword and push without.

If the low Guard is neither within nor without, you must lash smartly in
_Tierce_ and in _Quarte_, that is to say on his Outside and Inside,
pushing _Quarte_ afterwards, opposing with the Left-hand: This Thrust
puzzles a Man who disengages quick, which in this Case is of no use.

You may also engage this Guard placing yourself within, the Wrist in
_Tierce_, and the Point low[4] closing the Enemy pretty near to oblige
him to push above, and if he pushes there, you must parry and risposte
above, or under, according as you have Light.

If instead of making a Thrust above, he makes a Feint there and pushes
within, or under, you must push _Quarte_, opposing with the Left-hand,
or else going to the Parade with the Sword to all Thrusts and Feints
without, leave to the Left-hand the Defense of the Inside, and of the
under Part.

And if instead of pushing, he waits for your Thrust to take the Time
upon it, you must press close upon him and push strait in _Quarte_, with
the Point low, opposing with the Left hand, in order to throw off his
Sword, or push at his Arm, of which you are in Reach, though he is not
in Measure of your Body.

These Sorts of Guards are not so much practised, with Sword in Hand, as
the middling Guard, People being more careful of parrying with the
Sword, and a Man is in much better Condition to parry from the middling
Guard than from any other.

_To attack the Guard where the Sword is held in both Hands._

Those who hold the Sword in both Hands, that is to say, the Handle in
the Right-hand, and the Blade about four Fingers Breadth in the Left,
will either engage, or beat on your Sword, with great Force, or stick to
a strong Parade, in order to uncover you the more, in Favour of their
Thrust.

But as they cannot keep this Situation without exposing their Body very
much, which is often dangerous, as also a very unseemly Posture, this
Guard is therefore, with good Reason, condemned by most, if not all,
experience'd Masters.

If you have to do with one that holds this Guard, you must keep your
Point a little low, and be always ready to change, in order to render
the Strength which the Left-hand gives to the Right, useless, in his
engaging or beating.

If he will not attack you, but waits for your Thrust in order to parry
and risposte, you must make a Half-thrust, and recover quickly to your
Parade, to avoid his Rispost; wherein, throwing back his Left-hand, and
abandoning himself extremely, he is not in a Condition to avoid your
Thrust after you have parryed his.

You may also make a Home-thrust on him, by a single or double Feint,
because these require two or three Parades; so that your Adversary being
unable to parry without throwing his Point a great way off, he cannot
bring it back in time if you disorder him by a Feint.

You may likewise catch him, by placing your Sword along his, with your
Point a little raised, and sliding on a Defence along his Sword, push at
his Left-hand or Arm, for he cannot, tho' he goes to his Parade, hinder
your Blade from sliding so as to hit him there, without running any
Risque, you being in Measure of his Hand and Arm, when he is out of
Reach of your Body.

You are to observe, that in all Guards with Sword in Hand, you must push
at the nearest and most uncovered Part; which in the Guards that I have
described is the Arm; therefore you must not abandon yourself to hit
the Body, but in risposting, or after having disordered, or engaged the
Enemy as aforesaid.



CHAP. XXII.

_Of Left-handed Men._


Most People imagine that a Left-handed Man has, by Nature, the Advantage
of a Right-handed Man in Fencing, whereas he has it only by Habit,
exercising oftener with Right-handed Men than a Right-handed Man with
him, as well in Lessons as in Assaults, most Masters being Right-handed,
as well as most of the Scholars, taking Lessons from the Right-hand, and
practising seldom with Left-handed Men, find themselves puzzled, nothing
surprizing more than what one is not used to, which is so true, that to
embarrass a Left-handed Man, who has not fenced much, you must put
another against him; I say one that has not fenced much, because Right
or Left-handed Men who go to the School of a perfect Master, will be
taught to use both Hands, by which Means, they will not be so much
surprized when they meet with a Left-handed Man, as they would otherwise
be.

When a Right and a Left-handed Man fence together, the Right handed Man
should push but seldom within, that being the Antagonist's strongest
Part; and his weakest and outward, which should be kept covered, or in a
defensive Condition, as the most liable to be attacked; the best Way is
to push _Quarte_ without, Engagements, Feints under, and Thrusts above,
and double Feints, finished above or under the Wrist in _Quarte_, Cuts
over the Point without, and upon the Parade, with the Fort, or with the
Feeble, redoubling _Quarte_ under the Wrist, or _Seconde_ over: These
are chiefly the Thrusts which a Right-handed and a Left-handed Man may
make against each other, whether on an Attack, or in Defence, by Time or
Risposts.

Several Masters puzzle their Scholars by telling them that with a
Left-handed Man they must act quite contrary to what they do with a
Right-handed, which appears to be false; because to a Right or
Left-handed Man you must push, opposing with the Sword, which is to be
done by pushing _Quarte_, when the Enemy is within your Sword, and
_Tierce_, when he is without. All the Difference between a Right and a
Left-handed Man is, that two Right, or two Left-handed Men, are both
within or without, whereas a Right with a Left-handed Man, the one is
within when the other is without, the one in _Quarte_, the other in
_Tierce_.



CHAP. XXIII.

_Of the Parade of the Hand._


There are, in Fencing, three Parades with the Left-hand: The first, like
the Opposition that is from the Top to the Bottom; the second, with the
Palm of the Hand without, towards the Right Shoulder, and the third,
from the Bottom to the Top, with the Outside of the Hand: Of these three
Parades, the first is the easiest, the most used, and the least
dangerous: They are condemned by able Men, as weakening those of the
Sword; wherefore it is wrong in a Master to shew them to a Scholar,
before he has practised those of the Blade a good while, which being
longer, can return to all feints, which the Left-hand cannot, it being
impossible to parry with it except you be near, which is very dangerous,
as well by reason of the Difficulty of meeting properly with the Sword,
as of the Facility of deceiving the Hand, which in this Case has not
Time to come to the Parade, because of it's small Distance; and besides
the Facility of deceiving it, you need only push at the Arm, Sword in
Hand, in order to make it useless.


_Of the Opposition of the Hand._

Many People make no Distinction between the Parade and Opposition of the
Hand, tho' there is a very great Difference, the Parade being made only
against the Adversary's Thrust, and the Opposition to prevent a
following Thrust after having parryed with the Sword, which is very
necessary in most Thrusts, especially in the Risposts which may be made
to your Thrust in _Seconde_.

Besides the Opposition of the Hand, after having parryed with the Sword,
you may oppose with it, taking the Time, that is to say, when the Enemy
pushes from above to below, as the motion of his sword is greater than
your's, having only a strait line to push _Quarte_ on, whereas his from
above to below, is crooked, so that pushing upon his time, he cannot
avoid the thrust, and you may easily oppose his with the Left-hand,
which is very different from the parade with the hand, to which you do
not push 'till after you have parryed.



CHAP. XXIV.

_Of the beat of the Foot, in closing the measure, or in the same place._


Though it may seem to many people, that the beat of the Foot, in gaining
measure, making appels, or alurements, engagements, or other Thrusts, is
rather ornamental than necessary; nevertheless, there is nothing puts
the Foot in a better condition to follow the swiftness of the Wrist, in
most of the actions of the Sword; nor can any thing contribute more to
the equal situation, and to the retention of the Body, qualities, which
keeping you covered from the time of your combatant, procures you the
means, not only of taking advantage of his, but also of possessing
firmness, freedom, justness and swiftness. You are to observe two sorts
of beating, the one with the Foot firm in the same place, the other
gaining measure; the Beat with the Foot firm, is done in two ways, the
one in appels, or alurements on the Blade, and the other in engagements
or Feints. That upon the allurement on the Blade, may be made by a
single beat of the Foot, but those who are pretty well advanced, make
two without lifting the Foot but once, the first with the Point, and the
other with the whole Foot: that on engagements or single Feints, shou'd
have but one beat, the thrust being to be made on the second motion. The
beat of the Foot in marching or advancing, is also divided into two
sorts, the one in Engagements or single Feints, and the other in
Engagements and Feints following, or in double Feints; the manner of
engaging must be with a single beat gaining measure, and that of
engaging with a double Feint, must be done with a double beat, in order
to agree with the motion of the Wrist; and as in all, including the
lunge, there must be three beats; you must, on the First Time or Feint,
beat with the whole Foot in the same Place, at the second Motion of the
Wrist beat again with the foot getting Measure, and at the third Motion
push.

You must observe, that between the first and second Motion, there is no
Interval, but between the second and third there is, in order to see
where the Enemy gives Light: This Interval must be shorter or longer
according as your Disposition or Practice is more or less.



CHAP. XXV.

_Of the Good Effects of a nice Discernment of the Eye._


In Fencing, there is the Foreseen, and the Unforeseen; the Foreseen is
the Effect of the Understanding and of the Will, and the Unforeseen is
the Effect of the Discernment of the Eye, and of Custom; which being
upheld by this Quality, has no sooner discerned an Action or Opening of
the Enemy, than all the Parts which are to act, display themselves to
oppose or attack him, as if they depended on the Eye. To be convinced of
this Truth, you may reflect on READING, wherein, as soon as the Eye has
discerned the Words, the pronouncing them follows as quick as in a
studied Discourse; the Eye and Tongue being so disposed by Custom, as to
do it without immediately reflecting. Indeed before they cou'd arrive to
this, the Understanding and the Will were necessary, which having been
united for a certain Time, have communicated such a Habit to these
Parts, as to make them act as it were of themselves.

In order to acquire this Quality in Fencing, it is necessary that the
Master, in his Lessons, shou'd shew what Opportunities are to be
favourably laid hold of, two opposite Actions at one and the same Time,
That whilst he is uncovering some Part of his Body, he cannot, at the
same Instant, parry, because by the Parade, it must be covered; so that
by making them make their Thrusts, and other Motions, by the Discernment
of the Eye, they find themselves by Practice ready to oppose all the
Motions of the Antagonist without the Assistance of the Will. This
Method is indeed a little more tedious in the Beginning, but it
afterwards becomes shorter and more certain.

If you have not had Practice enough to make the Discernment of the Eye
thus habitual, you must observe what Motions your Action causes in the
Adversary, by making a Half, or Home-thrust, in order to discover
whether the Enemy has recourse to the Parade, or to the Time: If he goes
to parry, you must observe his Manner, in order to make a Feint
resembling the same Thrust, and to push at the Part where you observed
him to give the Light; and if he goes to the Time, you also make a
Feint, preparing yourself for the parade and Rispost, or to take a Time
contrary to his.



CHAP. XXVI.

_Of Time_.


If we were to follow the exact Term of Time, every Thing that is done in
Fencing might be called so; for you shou'd never thrust but when you
have a favourable Opportunity of hitting, nor parry, but at the Time
that favours you to oppose the Enemy's Sword, not make an Engagement,
nor a Feint, but to take the Time upon the Motion that your Action
occasions in the Adversary.

Time is the Duration of any Motion: It is called Time because it is the
most favourable Opportunity of pushing, the Enemy being unable during
one Action to do a contrary one.

It is divided into several Manners and Terms: The first is called the
Time, the second, taking his Time, the third, Time to Time, the fourth,
the same Time, and the fifth, false Time.

1. Taking the Time, is making your Thrust by a judicious Discernment on
the Motion of the Enemy, taking him by a contrary one: You are to know
that every Motion, of whatever Part it be, is called Time; for which
Reason, I shall say nothing of Feints, Engagements, and Disengagements,
upon which it may be taken; and that in three Manners, _viz._ strait,
lowering the Body, or volting it, which you must know how to apply. In a
strait Thrust the Time shou'd be taken by lowering and volting the Body,
because the Thrust coming strait, if you were to push the same Way, you
would, by supporting the Wrist, make a _Contrast_; and by pushing
crooked, you would make a _Coup Fourres_, or an interchanged Thrust; but
if the Thrust be in Two Times, or Motions, you may push on the first; If
it be in three Motions, on the second. As to the volting and lowering
the Body, they may be used on all Motions, provided they be abandoned,
and that the Enemy does not keep back his Body to draw you on.

2. Taking his Time, is the most subtle Thing in Fencing, depending
principally on the Mind: The Manner of taking it proceeds from your
Place or Situation, which gives you an opportunity of knowing the fort
and the feeble of the enemy, so that feeling his blade with your's, you
may by a judicious custom, push at a proper instant, according as you
find the weakness of his sword; and though it may seem that the enemy,
in the same guard, and at the same distance, can as easily parry; that
does not happen because of his different design to push, disengage, or
make a feint, by reason of the several operations of the mind which
follow the will.

3. The Time to Time, or the Counter to Time, is by several people,
called Counter-time: this cannot in effect alter this necessary part of
the art; it being but an impropriety in terms; when they say that making
a motion to bring the Enemy on, and when he is going to make a Thrust,
the making a Counter; this is by consequence a Counter Time, like a
Counter-disengagement, without observing that a Counter-time is nothing
but an ill timed Motion, which should upon all occasions be avoided: and
if that argument were to take place, it might be said that there is no
such thing in fencing as taking the Time, because it is to be done only
by taking a Time contrary to that which is intended to be taken of you,
which according to their Argument would be a Counter-time; whereas the
Term Time to Time, or counter to Time, sufficiently shews, that it
requires three Motions; since the taking the Time requires two, and the
taking it at the Time that he takes it, must require a third. Of these
three Motions you are to make two: The first, in order to get one from
the Enemy, that you may have an Advantage by your second, which is the
third Time; so that when he thinks to take the Time upon you, you take
it upon him, which, far from being a Counter-time, is a Time to his, or
Counter to his Time.

4. The same Time, depends on three Things: First, that both having a
Design to push, you both push by chance at once, without expecting it
from each other: Secondly: That full of the Design to take the Time, and
not knowing it, you push upon the Enemy's Thrust, without foreseeing how
to avoid it; and thirdly, when an Inferior or desperate Man, unable to
defend himself, had rather run on your Thrust in endeavouring to hit
you, than strive in vain to avoid it. These are not only the Occasions
of the same Time, but also of the _Coups Fourres_.

It is to be observed, that Time, and the same Time, differ only in
their Figure, and not in their Occasion, as Monsieur _De la Touche_
says, for to take the Time upon a Thrust, you must go off upon the
Lunge, as if it were on the same Time, except that the Figure of the
Body shuns the Thrust, which in that of the same Time it does not do.

5. False Time, is a Motion made by the Enemy to draw you on, in order to
take a Time upon your's; therefore he that would take the Time, shou'd
distinguish whether the Motion made, is to disorder him, and take the
Advantage of his Parade, or to make him thrust, and take the Advantage
of his Lunge; In Case of the first, it would be a Fault not to push; and
in Case of the other, it would be amiss to push. Some Masters call the
false Time, Half Time, which is wrong, every Motion being a Time, and as
it is impossible to make a Half Motion, so 'tis impossible to make a
Half Time.

The Difference of Time between the dexterous and awkard is, that the
dexterous present and take the Time, and the others, give and lose it.



CHAP. XXVII.

_Of Swiftness_.


Swiftness is the Shortness of Time between the Beginning and End of a
Motion: It proceeds from a regular and frequent Exercise, joined with a
good Disposition; that is to say, Vigour and Suppleness, which form
Agility.

A great Swiftness cannot be acquired without long Practice and a good
Disposition, the one not being sufficient, without the other, to give
it: For the best natural Parts, without Practice, will be of very little
Service to those who have the best Disposition; and the most regular
Practice without the Assistance of Nature, will never make a Man
perfectly Swift.

Swiftness in Fencing, is so necessary, that without this Quality, it is
very difficult to defend, and impossible to offend: This Truth is so
well known, that every one is earnestly desirous of it, tho' most People
are ignorant of the Means necessary to acquire it.

What contributes most to the becoming swift, besides, frequent Exercise
and a fine Disposition, is a perfect Situation of the Parts, the
Retention of the Body, and the regular Motion of the Wrist: The
Situation requires this advantageous Point of all the Parts, to
communicate Freedom and Vigour to the Action, that they may act with
Quickness. In order to retain the Body, it is necessary that it be
always in it's perfect Situation, during the Motions previous to the
Thrust; and if the Thrust consist of one Time only, the Wrist must
begin.

As to the Motion of the Hand, it must not only be animated, but also the
Action must not be wide, whether in Disengagements, Engagements, Feints,
or Risposts; because if you would be soon at your Mark, it is not
sufficient to go quick, but it is also necessary that the Action be
close.

Many People have confounded the Swiftness of pushing with precipitate or
consecutive Thrusts, without considering that Precipitation is either
when the Body moves before the Hand, or when an improper Motion is made;
and the consecutive Thrusts, the pushing several Times without Interval,
or when there is no Occasion; which may be done by one who is not swift;
for Swiftness is only the Shortness of Time between the Beginning and
End of an Action, as I have already said.

Swiftness and Time are very justly called the Soul of Fencing, and all
Thrusts owe their Success to these Qualities; for you cannot hit but by
Surprize, nor surprize but by Swiftness.

There are three Ways of surprizing in Fencing: The first is the
Situation of the Guard, taking his Time: The second, is doing an Action
to disorder the Enemy, in order to hit him, at that Time, where he is
open; and the third is when the Opponent attacks you, either by Feints,
Engagements, or Lunges, you take him upon the Time. Tho' these three
Sorts of Surprize require a certain Point of Swiftness, the first needs
the most, having no other Support; but the two others have the Advantage
of having disorder'd the Enemy.

Although Time, Swiftness, and the other Qualities are absolutely
necessary in Fencing, without their just Concurrence they are useless.
In order to acquire which, the Wrist must be easy by Practice, that you
may hit where you see Light.



CHAP. XXVIII.

_Of Measure_.


Time, Swiftness, and Justness, without the Knowledge of Measure, would
be in vain, Thrusts from afar being of no Use, and from near, dangerous;
and the other Motions shou'd also be at a certain Distance, in order not
only to be ready for the Time, but also to take Advantage of the
Disorder of the Enemy. The Measure is taken from you to the Enemy, and
from the Enemy to you: The first is easier known, as well because it is
naturally so, as by the Custom of your Lunge, which being, in regard of
yourself, always the same, makes it easier by Practice: The Measure from
the Enemy to you is difficult, from the Difference in Persons whose
Stature, Activity, or Swords, are not always alike; and tho' the Height
shou'd be the same, the Arms, Thighs and Legs are not proportionable;
besides there are big Men that have short Arms, and little Men that have
long Arms. It is likewise so in regard to the Clift; some being longer
in the Fork than others; and though two Men shou'd in that Particular be
alike, if one of them has shorter Legs than the other, he will reach
farther, because his Thighs are longer, and in the Lunge, only one of
the Legs contributes to it's Length, the other making a Line almost
perpendicular, whereas the two Thighs making a strait Line, contribute
equally to the Extention.

The Difference in Suppleness, also makes a Difference in the Extention;
a Man who has the Freedom of his Shoulders and Hips, going farther than
one that has them constrain'd. It may also happen that two Men of like
Proportion and Freedom of Parts, may not have an equal Extention, by
their being taught differently; some Masters teaching to keep the Body
upright, the Wrist raised, or too much on one Side, and the Left-foot
first; whereas the Body shou'd lean a little forward, without raising
or carrying the Hand to one Side, farther than to keep the Body
covered, and the Left-foot shou'd lye down on the Edge; this Situation
gives a greater Length than the other.

The different Lengths of Swords sometimes make it difficult to know the
Measure, and makes it impossible to fix it by Rule, as several Masters
have pretended: Some of them say that the Measure is just, when the
Points cross each other a Foot; others, with as little Reason, wou'd
have the Middle of your Blade touch the Point of the Adversary's; but
what gives a true Knowledge of the Measure is frequent Exercise,
accompanied with a good Judgment, pushing often _Quart_ and _Tierce_
with different Foils, and being pushed at by different Persons.

The Extention is taken from the Left-foot, which is the Centre, to the
Button of the Foil.

I did design, in this Place, to treat of Time, and of a regular Way of
pushing in Lessons, from the Beginning to the End of one Year, according
to the Disposition of Scholars; but after I had finished it, I thought
that my Fellow-Brethren would perhaps take it ill that I should
prescribe Lessons to their Scholars, by which, instead of gaining their
good Opinion, I might incur the Accusation of being more busy than
knowing.



CHAP. XXIX.

_Of the Necessity of some Qualities in a Master_.


In order to teach well, it's necessary to have a perfect Idea of the
Means which conduce from the Beginning to the End of the Matter
proposed, I mean to it's Perfection, or to what comes nearest it, if our
Age has not as yet arrived to it.

In Fencing, as well as in other Exercises, there should be Judgment and
Knowledge how to act and how to Teach: The first is the Effect of a long
and good Theory; the second, of a good Theory, long Practice, and a good
Disposition; and the third, besides the Theory and Practice, is the
Effect of a good Genius, or of a particular Talent.

Qualities which shou'd be always united; so that the Genius may be
capable of teaching properly to different Persons, the Application of
the Rules which are acquired by Experience.

It is as necessary in this Art that a Master's Motions shou'd be
regular, and that he shou'd hold the Foil properly in his Hand, as it is
for a Writing Master to draw the Example well that he would have copied;
so that the Scholar of the one, or of the other, may learn a better
Motion, or a finer Character. It is also proper that when a Scholar
commits a Fault, the Master shou'd shame him by imitating it, the seeing
the Fault making a greater Impression than the hearing of it.

A Master in his Lesson shou'd give a Time to the Scholar to make him
push, in order to teach him to take the Enemy's Time. He shou'd likewise
sometimes beat back his Body, and parry him from time to time, that he
may accustom him to be firm on his Legs, to oppose his Sword well, and
to recover well: It is good sometimes to let him make several Thrusts
following, and then remaining firm all of a sudden, to shew him, that he
shou'd always be ready to thrust when an Opportunity offers, and to
retain himself when it does not offer.

In order to make him take the Time well, and to form his Parade and
Rispost properly, the Time that the Master gives must have a Regard to
Rule, and sometimes to the Disorder of an unskilful Enemy, that he may
be equally fortifyed for both; and to form his Parade and Rispost the
Master must push in the Manner the most like to an Assault.

Though most Masters give Lessons with shorter and stiffer Foils than are
used in assaulting or playing loose, I esteem it better always to use
the same Foils that they may not be deceived in an Assault.

A Master's Play shou'd be neat, subtle agreeable, and useful, as fit for
Combat as for the School.

The Art of Fencing being to make the most of a good or bad Disposition,
when 'tis good 'tis capable of being made perfectly dexterous, and when
bad, the Defect of Nature is to be repaired by Art.

By saying that 'tis no hard Matter to perfect such Men as are naturally
of a very good Disposition, is meant the bringing them to a certain
Point which they could almost arrive to of themselves, by Practice and
Speculation; but it is well known that it is the Business of a good
Master to make his Scholar perfectly dexterous, and tho' he may have a
good Disposition and long Exercise, if he is not well instructed, he
cannot become dexterous, even tho' he shou'd execute with Agility, being
incapable of acquiring a Good without knowing and practising it.

A good Disposition is seldom to be met with, for there is generally a
Mixture of bad Parts with the good. Some have a supple, light and
vigorous Body, and with these Qualities a heavy or ill adjusted Hand;
and others that have as good a Disposition as is desirable, have a
narrow Genius, fearing to undertake any thing, or are hot and
inconsiderate, which shews that it is only be a perfect Accord of the
Parts and Understanding that a Man can be perfectly dexterous.

In short an able Master does not only shew the Fault, and whence it
proceeds, but also the Danger to which it exposes, and the Means to
leave it. A Master whose Play is regular, or who has the best
Foundation, may properly be said to be a good Master.



CHAP. XXX.

_Rules for pushing and parrying at the Wall, and for making an Assault._


Though 'tis absolutely necessary to begin by way of Lesson, and to
continue in it a long Time, in order that Practice growing to a Habit,
may give Liberty to the Parts to form themselves: nevertheless however
well you may take your Lessons, some other Means are necessary to make
an Assault well, than those which the Master gives at his _Plastron_:
This Rule must be supported by pushing and parrying at the Wall, and in
the Manner I am going to lay down.

When you have laboured a certain Time at Lessons, you must push at a
Cushion which is fixed against the Wall for that Purpose, observing the
Guard, and the Measure or Extention of the Thrust; and that the Hand
display itself in _Quart_, not only according to the Rule, but first,
adjusting and supporting the Thrust, and that all the Parts be placed
in the most advantageous Situation for the Thrust and Recovery, which
shou'd be very regularly observed.

After having lunged for some Days on the Cushion, to fix the Wrist and
Body a little, you must push at a Scholar, who Being placed at the Wall
will parry your Thrusts; you shou'd be in Measure, and to see if it be
just, you must lunge in _Quart_, placing the Button softly on the Body,
at the same time taking off your Hat, having taken the Measure you must
recover in Guard, and place yourself on the Outside of his Sword in
order to disengage and push _Quart_, being more careful of pushing
justly than hitting; he that parrys shou'd from time to time drop his
Foil, which will shew whether he that pushes follows the Blade or the
Line of the Body; having remain'd some Time upon the Lunge to form the
Support of the Wrist and the Posture of the Body you recover to Guard.
When you lunge pretty well in _Quart_, you may disengage and push
_Tierce_, and when the Thrust is pushed and parryed, you may recover and
push _Seconde_ under.

When you have pushed for some Time in this Manner, you may practise to
parry, putting yourself for that Purpose to the Wall, which furnishes a
better Parade than at large, where you are used to draw back the Body
which weakens it, whereas here you cannot, which makes the Parade
stronger, having no Dependence but on the Foil; you shou'd chuse a
Scholar that pushes the most regularly, it being difficult without that,
that a Beginner shou'd learn to parry justly.

Most young Beginners endeavour to hit at any Rate, instead of practising
what would be beneficial to them, but instead of deceiving others they
deceive themselves, by practising less how to form themselves and push
according to Rule, than how to spoil their Bodies, and destroy the
Solidity of the Principles: Some use themselves to push with the Wrist
only, without the Foot, which is dangerous, by reason of the too great
Measure; others with as little Reason, and as much Danger, place
themselves without binding the Blade, and thrust under the Wrist; in the
one the Situation of the Guard is good for nothing, and in the other
there is no Defence if the Adversary thrusts at that time: Others
deceive by making a Time or Motion when they are placed, but the pushing
at the Wall requires only the Justness and Swiftness of the Thrust;
others put themselves very near baulking the Measure, which may be done
four Ways, tho' the Left-foot may be in it's proper Place, and kept firm
in the Thrust; the first is done by marking or bringing forward the
Point of the Left-foot, keeping it a little in, then advancing the Heel,
which gives more Measure; secondly, by keeping back the Body on a Lunge,
you deceive the Measure and hit by abandoning it forward, which gives it
a greater Extention, thirdly, by raising or carrying the Wrist too high,
or too much to one Side, which shortning the Thrust, makes it believed
that you are out of Reach, but according to the Rule and Line you are
too much in Reach; fourthly, some take Measure by holding the Thumb on
the Body of the Guard, and when they have a mind to hit they hold it on
the Middle of the Handle, with the Pommel in the Hand, which also gives
a greater Length.

When you have for some time used yourself to push and parry at the Wall,
according to the Rules that I have laid down, you must, (tho' 'tis not
the Rule of Schools, especially when you push with Strangers,) you must
I say, when you push with a Scholar of your own Master, push and parry a
Thrust alternately, disengaging, and then do the same Feinting, and
sometime after you shou'd make the other Thrusts, telling one another
your design, which makes you execute and parry them by Rule, especially
if you reflect on the Motions and Postures of the Lunges and Parades.
Being a little formed to this method, you may, being warned of the
Thrust, parry it, telling the Adversary where you intend your Riposte,
which puts him in a condition to avoid it, and gives him room to
redouble after his Parade, either strait or by a Feint, at which you are
not surprised, expecting by being forewarned the Thrust he is to make,
which puts you easily on your Defence and Offence: by this manner of
Exercise, you may not only improve faster, but with more art, the Eye
and Parts being insensibly disposed to follow the Rule, whereas without
this Method, the difference that there is between a lesson of assaulting
a Man who forewarns you, helps you, and lets you hit him, and another
who endeavours to defend himself and hit you, is, that except the
Practice of Lessons be very well taught by long exercise, you fall into
a Disorder which is often owing to the want of Art more than to any
Defect in Nature. The taking a Lesson well, and the Manner of Pushing
and Parrying which I have just described, may be attained to by Practice
only, but some other things are necessary to make an Assault well; for
besides the Turn of the Body, the Lightness, Suppleness and Vigour which
compose the exteriour Part, you must be stout and prudent, qualities so
essential, that without them you cannot act with a good Grace, nor to
the purpose. If you are apprehensive, besides, that you don't push home,
or justly, fear making you keep back your Thrust, or follow the Blade,
the least Motion of the Enemy disorders you, and puts you out of a
Condition to hit him, and to avoid his Thrusts. Without Prudence, you
cannot take the advantage of the situation, motions designs of the
enemy, which changing very often, according to his Capacity and to the
Measure, demonstrates that an ill concerted Enterprise exposes more to
Danger than it procures Advantage: in order to turn this Quality to an
advantage, you are to observe the Enemy's _fort_ and _feeble_, whether
he attack or defend; if he attack it will be either by plain Thrusts
strait, or disengaged, or by Feints or Engagements, which may be opposed
by Time, or Ripostes: if he keeps on his Defence, it is either to take
the Time or to Riposte. In case of the first; you shou'd, by half
Thrusts, oblige him to push in order to take a Counter to his Time, and
if he sticks to his Parade you must serve in what Manner, in order to
disorder him by Feints, and push where he gives Light.

It would fill a whole Volume to describe the Thrusts that may be made,
according to the Difference of Persons, as well to surprise as to avoid
being surprised; besides the many Repetitions wou'd be extremely
puzzling, for which Reason, I have, instead of them, laid down the
following Advices, which contain chiefly, what I cou'd not otherwise
have communicated without a long Treatise.

Don't put yourself in Guard within the Reach of the Enemy.

Make no wry Faces, or Motions that are disagreeable to the Sight.

Be not affected, negligent, nor stiff.

Don't flatter yourself in your Lessons, and still less in Assaults.

Be not angry at receiving a Thrust, but take care to avoid it.

Be not vain at the Thrusts you give, nor shew Contempt when you receive
them.

Do not endeavour to give many Thrusts, running the Risque of receiving
one.

Don't think yourself expert, but that you may become so.

When you present the Foils, give the Choice without pressing.

If you are much inferiour, make no long Assaults.

Do nothing that's useless, every Action shou'd tend to your Advantage.

Lessons and Assaults are only valuable when the Application and Genius
make them so.

Too good an Opinion spoils many People, and too bad a one still more.

A natural Disposition and Practice are necessary in Lessons, but in
Assaults there must be a Genius besides.

The Goodness of Lessons and of Assaults does not consist so much in the
Length as in the Manner of them.

When you have to do with one that's bold and forward, it is necessary
to seem apprehensive in order to get a favourable Opportunity.

If you act against one that's fearful, attack him briskly to put him in
Disorder.

Before you applaud a Thrust given, examine if Chance had no Hand in it.

Thrusts of Experience, and those of Chance are different, the first come
often, the others seldom or never happen, you may depend on one, but not
on the other.

In Battle let Valour and Prudence go together, the Lyon's Courage with
the Fox's Craft.

To be in Possession of what you know, you must be in Possession of
yourself.

Undertake nothing but what your Strength and the Capacity of the Enemy
will admit of in the Execution.

The Beauty of an Assault appears in the Execution of the Design.

Make no Thrust without considering the Advantage and the Danger of it.

If the Eye and Wrist precede the Body, the Execution will be good.

Be always cautious, Time lost cannot be regained.

If you can hit without a Feint, make none, two Motions are more
dangerous than one.

To know what you risque, you must know what you are worth.

If you would do well, acquire the agreeable and useful.

Twenty good Qualities will not make you perfect, and one bad one will
hinder your being so.

Judge of a Thrust, rather by Reason than by it's Success; the one may
fail, but the other cannot.

To parry well is much, but it is nothing when you can do more.

Let your Guard, and your Play be always directly opposite to the Enemy.

Practice is either a Good or an Evil; all consists in the Choice of it.

When you think yourself skilful and dexterous, 'tis then you are not so.

'Tis not enough that your Parts agree, they must also answer the Enemy's
Motions.

The knowing a Good without practising it, turns to an Evil.

Two skilful Men acting together, fight more with their Heads than with
their Hands.

If you are superiour to your Enemy, press him close, and if you are
inferiour, break Measure to keep him moving.

Endeavour both to discover the Enemy's Design, and to conceal your own.

When the Eye and the Hand agree in the same instant, you are perfectly
right.

Draw not your Sword, but to serve the King, preserve your Honour, or
defend your Life.



CHAP. XXXI.

_Against several erroneous Opinions._


Though there are People of a bad Taste in every Art or Science, there
are more in that of Fencing than in others, as well by Reason of the
little Understanding of some Teachers, as of the little Practice of some
Learners, who are not acting upon a good Foundation, or long enough, to
have a good idea of it, argue so weakly on this Exercise, that I thought
it as much my Business to observe their Errors, as it is my Duty to
instruct those that I have the Honour to teach in the Theory of it: By
this Means, I may furnish the One with juster Sentiments, and the
Others with the Means of preserving their Honour and Lives.

I begin with those, who defer letting their Children learn 'till they
have attained a certain Age, Growth and Strength. If these three
Qualities would enable them to put this Art in Execution immediately, I
acknowledge that they ought not to begin 'till they possessed them; but
it is by long Experience and Practice only, that they can become
perfect; so that except they begin young, the Employments for which they
are designed, may not give them Time to arrive to it; besides, by
beginning in a tender Age, the Body is more easily brought to a good
Air, and an easy Disengagement; being more at Liberty, and less used to
Faults, which it would naturally fall into for want of being cultivated.

Others say that it is needless to learn when the Disposition is wanting,
which is an Error; for a Body that is well disposed by Nature, can
better dispense with the Want of Improvement, than those that she has
taken less care of; these requiring a constant Labour, to acquire what
the others have almost of themselves; and tho' they cannot arrive to a
perfect Agility, yet their Bodies will be better disposed to act, and
their Lives not so much in Danger.

Some assure you that the knowing how to Fence, makes a Man quarrelsome,
and thereby exposes him to dangerous Consequences, without considering
it is a natural Brutality, Honour, or Danger, which obliges him to
attack another, or defend himself, which he would do without having
learned, with this Difference; that though he have the same Brutality or
Courage, the Issue of the Battle is not the same; and if he have
Occasion to defend himself, would it not be better for him to be able to
do it, than to leave his Life to an uncertain and dangerous Hazard.

Others say that it is enough to learn one Exercise at a time; that a
Plurality of different Lessons fatigues the Mind and the Body: But as
one Science disposes the Mind for the others, they having a Sort of a
Correspondence one with another, so Exercises favour one another as well
in regard to the Posture of the Body, as to the Freedom of Motion;
besides, that learning them one after another, as each Particular would
take up as much Time as all in general, this Length of Time would be too
great for any one almost to succed in them.

Many People say that with Sword in Hand the Rules of the School are not
observed, and that 'tis sufficient to have a good Heart: It is certain
that People who are subject to this Error, are not capable of following
the Rules which are to be acquired only by putting a good Theory in
Practice; which by frequent Use, disposes the Eye and the Part of
Executing so well, that it is almost impossible to act otherwise: And as
to the Practice of Schools and of the Sword, 'tis the same; for no one
ought to do any thing with the Foil, but what he knows by Experience to
be without Risque, according to his Rules. In some Cases, it is true,
what is esteemed good in one, is not in the other. For Example: Thrusts
with the Foil are good only on the Body, and with the Sword they are
good every where; and that in an Assault with the Foil, the joining is
reckoned as nothing, whereas in Battle 'tis the Seal of the Victory; but
except in that, it should be alike in every Thing.

Others say that if they had to do with experienced Men, they would not
give them Time to put themselves in Guard; as if a Man who is expert
were not always on his Guard, being more knowing, and better disposed,
not only to place himself at once, by the Habit that all his Parts have
contrasted, but also to surprise, and to avoid being surprised, by the
Knowledge he has of Time and Measure: On the contrary, an unskilful
Person being ignorant of both, is easily catch'd; besides, that his
Parts being unaccustomed to place themselves regularly, or at once, must
always be in a continual Motion, vainly seeking their Place, by which
they give the Time, and would lose it if it were given to them.

Some, in Opposition to these, say that if they know how to keep
themselves in Guard 'tis sufficient. They are in the right if the Guard
be perfect, which is not to be acquired but by a Practice as long as is
necessary to make them perfectly dexterous, which is not their Meaning;
they thinking that it is only the placing of the Parts, which is
useless, without Freedom and Vigour to manage them. These are Qualities
which when accompanied with a certain regular Air, and a good Grace,
shew, as soon as a Man takes a Sword or Foil in his Hand, to what Pitch
of Dexterity he is arrived.

Some Men will tell you that they know enough to serve their Turn: Those
who use this Expression, as well as those I have spoken of before,
sufficiently shew that they have learnt but little or nothing. In Effect
it is no hard Matter to judge of the different Degrees of Ability; so
that when a Man finds himself inferiour, he cannot properly say that he
knows enough to serve his Turn; and a Man who is superiour, knows very
well that he is not perfect, and that if his good Disposition together
with his long Practice, has brought him very forward in the Art, others
may know as much as he, and that therefore he is not so perfect as an
unskilful Person may imagine.

I have heard several People say that they did not care to be dexterous,
nor to know the five Rules, provided they knew how to defend themselves,
and to push and parry well; and really they are in the right, supposing
they could do that without practising what the most able Men have
invented upon this Occasion.

There are People that say, that with Sword in Hand, against an able Man,
there is nothing to be done but push vigorously, to disorder him: I am
apt to believe that this may succeed against a Man who is not well
form'd, or has not the Courage and Resolution that is necessary; but if
he has enough to keep up his Spirit, this Attack will be advantageous to
him; because it cannot be done without giving him an Opportunity of
getting the better; and besides, I have Reason to believe that the
greatest Part of those who talk in this Manner, would hardly attempt an
able Man.

It may be said that People have then fought in this Manner with Success;
but as there is Difference in Persons, what succeeded with them against
unskilful People or Cowards, would have been dangerous against other
Men.

I have met with People who were weak enough to believe that Knowledge in
Fencing takes away the Heart, saying, that seeing the Counters to every
Thrust they form, by Means of that Knowledge, an Idea of evident Danger,
which dissipating the Courage, and causing an Apprehension, hinders them
from their Enterprise; when an unskilful Person blindly undertakes every
thing. It is true that there is great Blindness in this Way of pushing,
as they say, and still more in their Understanding, to think that an
able Man dares not undertake or venture when the Appearance of Success
leads him to it; and that an ignorant Man shall venture when his Loss
is almost certain. Is it reasonable to suppose, that a Man of natural
Courage shou'd lose it, because he is assured that he is more expert
than his Enemy, over whom, or perhaps his Equals, he always had the
Better in Assaults, by the Help of his Knowledge and Dexterity? This,
far from intimidating him, seems to assure him of Success, which is due
to his habitual Practice. On the contrary, an awkard Man having seen, by
his Disadvantage in School Assaults, that he has no Room to hope in
Combat, the dexterous Man possessing the Qualities which procure
Success, and one who had never handled a Foil, will be as much puzzled,
as if he had experience'd the Disadvantage of it.

Others, with as little Reason, leave all to Chance, but the very Name is
sufficient to shew that it is not to be relye'd on.

Some again say to what Purpose shall we learn to Fence, the KING had
forbid Duels: It is true that this great Prince, as august for his Piety
as for his Victories, was willing thereby to preserve the Blood of his
bravest Subjects, who expose'd it every Day to be shed through a false
Notion of Honour.

But tho' he forbid Duels, he was so far from hindering the Practice of
the Sword, that he has established several Academies for the perfect Use
of it, not only for Defence, but also to qualify his Subjects to put the
Justice of his Measures in Execution: And it must at last be agreed to,
that a Man who wears a Sword, without knowing how to use it, runs as
great a Hazard, and is full as ridiculous, as a Man who carries Books
about him without knowing how to read.

Many Men are of Opinion that a Man may naturally know enough to attack
or defend himself, without the Assistance of Art: Man, tho' the only
reasonable Creature, finds himself deprived of what irrational Creatures
naturally possess; and he requires for his Improvement the Assistance
and Practice of others; the grand Art of War, and that of using the
Sword, which has been practised thro' so many Ages, still find new
Inventions; and it may be said, that as there is no Place, in whatever
Situation by Nature, but requires Art to secure it's Defence; so
likewise, whatever Disposition a Man possesses, he cannot be perfect
without the Assistance of Rules and Practice.

Some Men acknowledge that Skill is necessary in single Combat, but that
in a Crowd or Battle it is altogether useless: I own that on these
Occasions, it is less useful than in single Battle, by reason of the
different Accidents, as of Cannon, Musquets, and of other Arms; besides,
a Man may be attacked by several at once: But if a Man cannot avoid
being hit with a Ball, and sometimes with a Sword, he may, nevertheless,
by the Disposition and Agility of the Parts, more easily defend and
return a Thrust: Besides, being more able to hit with the Edge or Point,
he may put more Enemies to flight, or keep them at a greater Distance.
If the French Troops have always been victorious, Sword in Hand, a Part
of the Glory is owing to the Skill of several Officers; and I'll venture
to say, that if they had all been as expert as they should have been,
you might see, as well on Foot as on Horseback, in Battle as on a
Breach, Actions that would be not only uncommon but prodigious. It may
perhaps be said, that our Enemies have some expert Officers among them;
besides, that their Number is commonly less than in _France_, there is
as great a Difference between their Dexterity and that of the _French_,
as between their Masters and our's, from whom very few would have
learned if the War had no suspended our Academies.[5]

I think it proper to finish this Chapter by confuting an Error as
common, and more ridiculous, than the others; which is, of an infallible
Thrust, which a great many People think that Masters reserve for
dangerous Occasions, or to sell it at a dear Rate. This wonderful Thing,
is called the secret Thrust. I don't know whether this Error proceeded
from those who have not learned, or from the Chimera of some
self-conceited Masters, who have sold to ignorant Scholars, some Thrusts
as infallible, of their own Contrivance, as ridiculous and dangerous as
the Simplicity of the Scholar and the Knavery of the Master are great.

To discover the Error of this Opinion you must observe two Things:
First, that in Fencing there are no more than five Thrusts or Places,
which I have described in Page 27, shewing the Parade of each of them;
and secondly, that there is no Motion without it's Opposite; so that as
you cannot push without a Motion, there is no Thrust without it's
Counter, and even several; for besides the different Positions of the
Body, there is not only the Time to take, but also several Parades to
favour the Risposts, which plainly shews, that doing one of these Things
properly, this imaginary infallible Thrust, far from succeeding will
expose him that would make it.

All the Secrets in the Thrusts that are given by an able Man, far from
being an Effect of the Thrust, is only an Effect of the Occasion, and
the Swiftness; or rather of the judgment and Practice: By Means of these
Qualities all Thrusts are secret ones, or they wou'd be worth nothing.

All the Thrusts in Fencing are equally good, when they are made
according to Rule, with Swiftness, and on the Occasions proper to them;
wherefore they ought not to be neglected whilst the Time of learning
them offers; not but you may stick closer to some Thrusts than to
others, either because you may be better disposed for them, or because
you are more used to them.

I thought that after I had exposed the Errors of several Persons, I
might tell them, that it is contrary to the Rules of good Breeding, to
talk of Things they do not understand; that oftentimes People, by their
first Appearance, have been thought to possess the Qualities of knowing
Men, but have afterwards forfeited the good Opinion which they had at
first imposed on others.

FINIS.



_Thrusts of Emulation for Prizes, Wagers &c._


All Thrusts from the Neckband to the Wastband are counted good.

_Coup Fourres_ or interchanged Thrusts are not counted on either side,
except one of the Competitors has Recourse to it in order to make the
Thrusts equal, then the Thrust of the other is good, and not his.

If one hits the Body and the other the Face or below the Wast at the
same Time; the Thrust on the Body is counted, but not the other.

If a Man parrys with his Hand, and afterwards hit, his Thrust is not
good, because by parrying with the Hand, his Antagonist's Foil is less
at Liberty than if he had parryed with the Blade, and might be a Reason
why he could not parry and risposte.

If a Man takes the Time, opposing with the Left-hand, and hits without
receiving, his Thrust is not good, because if he had not Opposed with
the Hand, both would have hit, the Opposition of the Hand serving only
to avoid, but no way contributing to the Success of the Thrust.

If in parrying, binding, or lashing the Foil, it Falls, and that the
Thrust is made without Interval, it is Good.

Thrusts made with the Sword in both hands, or shifting from one Hand to
the other are not good.

A Master is not to give judgment for his own Scholar.



FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: The Iron at the End of the Blade that runs into the
Handle.]

[Footnote 2: I am not of Opinion that the Body should be drawn back,
except it be impossible to avoid the Thrust without doing it; all
Parades being best when the body is not disorder'd.]

[Footnote 3: See the 8th. Plate.]

[Footnote 4: See the 12th Plate.]

[Footnote 5: As in this Paragraph, Monsieur L'Abbat rather introduces an
Encomium on his Country-men, than any thing essential to the Art of
Fencing. I leave the Reader to his own Opinion thereon.]





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